There are many rivalries in college that extend beyond the basketball court, and the debate over who gets to claim the “SC” initials is certainly one of them. With USC and South Carolina preparing for another highly anticipated showdown, even a casual conversation between teammates is an opportunity to protect school pride for JuJu Watkins.

“SC, they’re a really good, high level program,” Kennedy Smith told reporters during a media scrum, which was posted to X by ESPN W.

When she referred to South Carolina as “SC,” Watkins looked over at her, clearly displeased with the wording, leading both to end up giggling before Smith corrected herself.

“I mean, South Carolina is just a really high level program just like us,” she said.

The post from ESPN W promoted Sunday’s matchup between the two sides as the battle of “The Real SC,” and that identity rivalry is nothing new. While the University of Southern California is often referred to as USC across the West Coast, that hasn’t stopped the University of South Carolina from claiming the name. South Carolina briefly adopted UofSC branding in 2019, before returning to USC as its institutional abbreviation in 2022.

The debate has now found its way into basketball through the “The Real SC” series. The first meeting of this rivalry took place in November 2025, when South Carolina took home a 69-52 win at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley embraced the rivalry back then.

“We’re gonna wear that title with pride,” she said of the win. “So, we are, yes, ‘The Real USC.’ ”

The Gamecocks reinforced their bragging rights with another dominant performance later that season. In the 2026 NCAA Tournament, they beat the Trojans 101-61 in the second round.

The upcoming game is the second scheduled installment of ‘The Real USC’ rivalry, and their third meeting in 12 months.

Fans React to JuJu Watkins Defending USC’s Identity

Watkins’ expression quickly became the highlight of the viral clip, with fans quickly flooding the comments section with their own takes and reactions, ranging from excitement about the upcoming November 15 matchup to playful jabs at South Carolina’s claim.

One fan anticipating the showdown wrote, “You better believe the whole country will be watching.”

The game features two of the three top-ranked teams in the country. Both USC and South Carolina, ranked third and first, respectively, have won all of their games this season. This game also marks an opportunity for USC to get its first win in this rivalry matchup.

Another fan firmly sided with Watkins and the Trojans, writing, “Juju knows what’s up. There is only 1 SC and it resides in California. U of SC is the fake SC.”

The reaction represents the popular opinion on the West Coast. Southern California has long been associated with the USC initials, especially for fans who have followed their athletic programs.

A third commenter brought Watkins’ competitive personality into the mix, jokingly saying, “I fear the look in Juju’s eyes is worse than the look she has for UCLA 😭.”

The comparison to UCLA adds another layer to this conversation. The crosstown rivalry between the Trojans and the Bruins is already one of the biggest fixtures in LA college sports, and Watkins’ expression was enough for the fan to imagine how seriously she takes the idea of someone else taking USC’s identity.

Another user took a different approach, bringing in postal abbreviations into the argument. They wrote, “I always love this debate. SC is recognized by the post office as South Carolina. CA is recognized for California.”

Of course, the distinction that the user pointed out doesn’t settle the matter of the universities, both of which use USC for their institutional branding.

Finally, another supporter backed Watkins with confidence, writing, “They gone find out again who SC is…”

With South Carolina winning each of their previous four games, the Gamecocks have history on their side. However, Watkins’s return to the basketball court gives USC a chance to challenge the status quo. Only time will tell who walks away with the win on November 15.