Presidential candidate Fred Thompson appears to be a big fan of breaking all the rules of campaigning in South Carolina. On Aug. 30, he broke Rule No. 1: If you do nothing else, you MUST campaign in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties.

And Monday he violated Rule No. 2: Do not come to Columbia and bash South Carolina football and its beloved head coach, especially when the team is having one of its best years in school history.

According to The Politico, when Thompson was asked by a football fan whether he supports the Florida Gators or the Tennessee Volunteers, Thompson said: “I’m too old to change now, I’ve been a Vol all my life … But, I’ll tell you what, we can both do our best to beat the ole ballcoach.”

The “ballcoach,” of course, is Steve Spurrier, the former Florida head coach that followers of Southeastern Conference football love to hate.

But now, Spurrier happens to be the head football coach at the University of South Carolina, whose football team is riding high at 3-0, ranked number 12 in the nation. South Carolina is also the primary state that has backed the eventual GOP nominee every year since Republicans started holding a primary here in 1980. [PETER HAMBY - CNN]

It’ll only be a matter of time before Thompson says the palmetto tree is weak and that he loves our official state song, “Carolina in My Mind” by James Taylor. Lord help him if anyone asks about the Confederate flag.