Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, himself a former interim coach, tried to visit with each of USC’s coaches prior to the game. The win was the first time Clemson has won in Columbia since 2007.
Advertisement
Key notes & stats: SC is giving up 202.3 rushing yards a game (#100)…Clemson’s playcalling on offense: 55.1% run, 44.8% pass…Gamecocks is 0-6 on the season in games being the underdog. Check out the best plays from Clemson’s standout quarterback right here!
Clemson entered 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country.
South Carolina’s lackluster offense exploded for one big play after another, and Clemson lost the turnover battle for the sixth time this season. On Clemson’s second drive with just over six minutes to go, Skai Moore forced a Wayne Gallman fumble and Rico McWilliams recovered it halting a possible scoring drive.
“At the end of the day, it’s 34 years since we’ve been 12-0, and we’re tied for the winningest record in Clemson history”, Swinney told ESPN’s Jeannine Edwards on the network telecast. Do those three things and we will see the first undefeated regular season for Clemson since 1981. Utah, which tied at the top of the Pac-12 South with USC, was able to offset its mistakes with strong defensive play.
Watson, though, followed series with a 60-yard scoring drive that he ended with a 3-yard burst around the left side. “We were just worrying about this game, achieve one of our goals and be state champs and that’s what we did. We were careless at the beginning of the game but we paid more attention to detail in the second half”. Carolina now holds a 17-14 lead in the annual competition with Clemson. Past year the Tigers ended a five-game skid to the Gamecocks with a victory at home. Watson finished 20-of-27 for 279 yards and a touchdown in the air, adding 114 yards and three more touchdowns on a season-high 21 carries on the ground. Among the few bright spots was the play of quarterback Perry Orth, who was 28-of-43 for 367 yards and a touchdown and connected with Pharoh Cooper 11 times for 191 yards.
Deshaun Watson isn’t giving up on Clemson’s step-by-step approach, not when it’s worked so well. Four plays later, Shon Carson scored on a short run and the Gamecocks added a two-point conversion, making it 28-25 with 12:19 to play. “We’re going to go out and spread the message of the University of SC”, he said.
As long as Watson’s around, the Tigers’ title chances are pretty good.
Advertisement
Josh Williams led the Bisons with 21 points. SC has lot four straight games while losing four of their last five without Spurrier on the sidelines.
