The University of South Carolina football team throttled arch-rival Clemson for the third year in a row on Saturday, shutting down the Tigers’ potent offense to record a ten-win season for only the second time in the program’s 118-year history.
USC’s 34-13 victory also denied Clemson its first ten-win season since 1990 – and sent the Tigers limping into next week’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game against Virginia Tech with three losses in their last four games.
A month ago, head coach Dabo Swinney’s team was was undefeated and ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation – with players and fans salivating at the thought of Clemson’s first national title in thirty years. Lately? The Tigers are playing exactly like the inexperienced, mistake-prone team that everyone thought they would be at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Meanwhile head coach Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks - who were playing in their fifth game without All-SEC running back Marcus Lattimore – turned in perhaps their most complete game of the year, and are now just one bowl victory away from completing the most successful season in school history.
“We were hoping to play our best game of the year and we probably did,” Spurrier said.
In addition to bottling up the Tigers’ star-studded offense, the No. 12 Gamecocks (10-2, 6-2 SEC) racked up 420 yards of total offense against the No. 17 Tigers (9-3, 6-2 ACC) – most of it thanks to sophomore quarterback Connor Shaw.
Connor Shaw picks up yardage against Clemson.
The 6-foot-1, 204-pound signal caller from Flowery Branch, Georgia completed 14 of 20 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 108 yards and another score – and didn’t turn the football over once.
While Shaw had better passing numbers earlier this season against Kentucky – this was by far his best all-round performance.
Junior running back Kenny Miles – the hero of USC’s 34-17 win over Clemson two years ago – added 71 rushing yards on 21 carries, including several clutch first-down runs to keep key drives alive.
It was Miles first extensive playing time of the year. Entering the game, he had just 66 yards on 18 carries all season.
Freshman running back Brandon Wilds – who eclipsed the 100-yard mark in three of the Gamecocks previous four games in relief of Lattimore – rushed just seven times for 24 yards.
“(Brandon) just seemed like he was running into guys,” Spurrier said. “He wasn’t quite as elusive as we thought he could be. And Kenny deserved a shot. None of us are afraid to put the next guy in if one of them seems to struggle a little bit.”
On this night, though, it was the Tigers who struggled – even when the Gamecocks gift-wrapped a golden opportunity for them midway through the second quarter.
After an impressive 12-play, 61-yard Tiger touchdown drive cut USC’s first-half lead to 10-7, the Tigers caught a huge break when a low snap to Gamecock punter Joey Scribner-Howard resulted in a blocked kick. That special teams gaffe set the Clemson offense up at the Gamecock 26-yard line with seven minutes to go before intermission.
USC’s defense held the Tigers to a field goal, though … and then forced Clemson to punt the football on its first three possessions of the second half.
Tajh Boyd sacked by USC's Devin Taylor.
All told, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson’s unit held Clemson’s high-octane offensive unit to a season-low 153 yards – and quarterback Tajh Boyd to a season-low 83 yards passing. To put those numbers in perspective, Clemson’s offense came into Saturday night’s game averaging 465 yards per contest – while Boyd entered the game averaging 295 passing yards per game.
“We had opportunities to put some points up, and we had good field position,” Boyd said. “We just couldn’t capitalize. ”
In addition to being held under 100 yards for the first time as a starter, Boyd also threw his seventh interception in the last four games after throwing just three picks through his first eight contests. South Carolina also sacked him five times.
Meanwhile, Clemson’s heralded freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins – who entered the game with 68 catches for 1,034 yards – was limited to just four receptions for 39 yards.
The defense’s biggest play of the night came with just six minutes left in the game. That’s when junior defensive back DeVonte Holloman picked off an errant pass from Boyd and returned it 26 yards to the Clemson19-yard line.
Two plays later, Shaw found wide receiver Alshon Jeffery for an 18-yard touchdown strike that put the game out of reach.
Prior to the Gamecocks’ recent winning streak, the Tigers had won ten of twelve and six of seven in the series, prompting our founding editor to declare it a “Rivalry In Name Only.”
How times have changed. After being dominated by their in-state rivals for years, the Gamecocks have outscored the Tigers 97-37 during the last three installments of the “Palmetto Bowl.”
“Historically, Clemson has owned this series,” said Spurrier – who move to 4-3 against Clemson. “They don’t own us now.”
Prior to last season, South Carolina hadn’t won back-to-back games against the Tigers since 1968-70 – when they also won three in a row. To put that stat in perspective, Clemson has had four winning streaks of at least four games since then – one reason the Tigers still enjoy a 65-40-4 all-time advantage in the series.
While the game was the regular season finale for both teams, Clemson will be back in action next Saturday against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game in Charlotte, N.C. The Gamecocks will wait for next weekend’s SEC championship game between LSU and Georgia and the Bowl Championship Series pairings to determine where they will wind up bowling.
Representatives from the Chick-Fil-A, Citrus, Gator, Outback and Sugar bowls were on hand for Saturday’s game.
So were 83,442 fans – the second largest crowd to watch a game at Williams-Brice Stadium during the Spurrier era.
USC v. CLEMSON PICS
USC v. CLEMSON QUOTES
USC v. CLEMSON STATS (.pdf)
Pic: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina
***
By snodgrass November 27, 2011 at 12:33 am
“Developing … check back for more content …”
Here we go…
By CriticalMass November 27, 2011 at 12:57 am
Connor Shaw – 107 yards rushing
Clemson Tigers – 106 yards rushing
YEOW, that’s gotta hurt.
By CriticalMass November 27, 2011 at 1:01 am
Hang on… according to Clemson’s game stats posted on their own site…
Clemson Tigers – 70 net yards rushing*
*Yards Lost Rushing 36
By James Baddison November 27, 2011 at 1:33 am
Yo Tajh I heard you like to tweet….
By Jeffy01 November 27, 2011 at 3:31 am
Listen, after getting beat up week after week in the famously tough ACC coastal you can totally understand this tight game getting away from the bitter kitties. It was nip and tuck the entire game. I never had a feel as to which team had the better talent. Really reminded me of Wake vs Duke or Nc State vs UNC… Really just classic old time football by two great teams. Can’t say either coach had the other figured out. Gotta be two candidates for coach of the year.
How cool to watch 3…..count em …..three heisman candidates from the bitter kitties beat up the USC average defensive front, and still USC pulled it out at the very end.
I’m sure sin shitty is googling away and will find some awesome stats from the 1940s to better explain this win. Can’t wait to read the well researched come back. It’s always a pleasure to read his posts n
Oh well 34-13. USC should just forget it as another non conference win vs an in state, non bsc school and move on.
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 6:57 am
Time for Clemson st shut up a bit…baseball, football and academically they always try to cut corners. Led by Barker and Dabo they try to cut corners and play above their weight class. Well how does the canvas tast?
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 6:58 am
Taste?
By Old Bike Dude November 27, 2011 at 7:02 am
Tweetle dee tweetle dumb. Just an average D line…kickin Boyds ass all night.
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 7:14 am
So tired of orange…snotty, arrogant and cheating…get in the bus and stay up there for a while…
By Earl Long November 27, 2011 at 7:14 am
Great coverage, Will. Go Cocks.
By costcutter November 27, 2011 at 7:26 am
Meow
By Mrs. Ethel Krabitz November 27, 2011 at 7:39 am
I hope Devin Taylor will play one more year instead of going pro.
By James Baddison November 27, 2011 at 7:44 am
Lol beat by a backup qb, a unknown back and some basketball dude playing receiver.
By The Truth November 27, 2011 at 8:40 am
USC is still basically an overgrown 3rd rate Junior College in a shitty town with almost no campus and in a state thats motto should be thanks god for Mississippi or we would be dead last in everything..but hey you beat Clemson so overlook all the above facts.
By sewee November 27, 2011 at 8:58 am
Sounding a little bitter about the loss The Truth. Sometimes it’s better to read the post and not write anything.
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 9:22 am
The Truth is it outranks Clemson in most academic NRC rankings, won two college baseball world championships in the capital of a state with Boeing, Michelin, BMW and Amazon and….beat Clemsin in football.
By BigT November 27, 2011 at 9:26 am
FITS GET REAMED by Gamecocks!!!!!…HaHaHaHa…I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!
This Friggin’ IDIOT, FITS, was telling us how GREAT the pissant Tigers were, 4 or 5 weeks ago, while he was BASHING the Gamecocks…
You BIG EFFIN DUMBASS…You LOSE again…
You have NO istitutional knowledge of in-state Sports, and your Too Ignorant to employ it if you did…
Hire a sports Writer….But not another MoRon like you!!!!…
By GetReal November 27, 2011 at 9:43 am
Fire Sic Willie! And offer Steve Spurrier a raise and contract extension…Go Gamecocks!
By BigT November 27, 2011 at 9:54 am
These effin media lemmings sit around year after year and wait for the Gamecocks to implode, but worshiping Clemson in the putrid ACC. They are oblivious that Clemson falls apart at some point every year, it never fails…
Mind-numbed Dumbasses….
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 10:38 am
Big T – forget the part about liberalism!
By abannerday November 27, 2011 at 10:46 am
The disparity in talent between the SEC and ACC teams never more apparent than this year.
By Old Bike Dude November 27, 2011 at 11:16 am
Tiny turd, you forgot to blame Obama.
By Queen of Hearts November 27, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Clem’s Son gave us a sorry ASS Governor. We gave them a 34 to 13 ASS
WHOOPIN!
“It is a GREAT day in South Carolina”
“Get excited”
“Join the Movement”
Repent and be saved, become a GAMECOCK!
By southern boy November 27, 2011 at 1:44 pm
truth fu q. take your sorry yankee ask back. dont come here and tell us how you did it up north, just leave.
By BigT November 27, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Cram it, Idiots….You liberals will look just as stupid as FITS does now, come Election Day 2012…
The Obama Administration is just like Clemson. The media is So Ignorant, they keep telling you how good a job your fool is doing…but the TRUTH wil bite you Right Square in the Ass, like Clemson has kicked FITS in the Ass…
Dumbasses….
Pingback: Spurrier, Gamecocks Win Again!!
By Yaright November 27, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Big T keep takin your medicine!
Luv it when conservatives praise that ‘liberal school with it’s failed Innovista project” !!
By wawa November 27, 2011 at 3:22 pm
The most obvious way the Obama administration is like Clemson is that it is going to get another win due to weak competition.
By Old Bike Dude November 27, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Nim the coconut picked Clemson to win. They were screwed from that point forward.
By BigT November 27, 2011 at 7:02 pm
wawa: Obama, like Clemson, is praised by idiots in the media, Like FITS, only to fall apart.
Obama and Clemson make FITS and the media look like Dumbasses for being so stupid and blind…
Not to mention: Dabo was GIVEN a job he did not deserve in 2008, just like Obama. Both are in way over their heads…
By bare_e November 27, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Okay Will, As much as you delve into controversy and the sensational, Tahj Mahal’s brilliant tweet deserves a special post. How many pre-season first and second team All-SEC defensive players did the Gamecocks have, not counting the #1 recruited high school football player in the nation. How do you spell e-Bulletin Board Motivation? How bright is T.B. anyway? In one month gone from sixth on the Heisman list to 106th ranking.
By Ebony November 27, 2011 at 7:59 pm
“Nim the coconut picked Clemson to win.” By Old Bike Dude November 27, 2011 at 3:45 pm
————————–
Old Bike Dude,
You are a despicable racist. Go away.
By CriticalMass November 27, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Jeffy01: “It was nip and tuck the entire game. I never had a feel as to which team had the better talent.”
REALLY? Were you drunk, or did you nap through most of it?
Carolina beat Clemson like a rented mule.
And Dabo and the entire team knows it.
You just have to decide how long before you drop your BS denial and join ‘em.
By Talbot November 27, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Nimrata stated Crookson would win because her heart is there, but again she’s wrong. Go Cocks, great WIN with total transparency.
By Joe r November 28, 2011 at 5:39 am
Sweet and deserved.
Recruiting should be good – the real game changer:
just another team to beat in a season.
Forget the ‘beat Clemson’ stickers.
Our competition is elsewhere- as a football team and a university.
By Jeffy01 November 28, 2011 at 7:06 am
Critical mass……it was sarcasm
By toyota kawaski November 28, 2011 at 8:23 am
ALL IN
Fits did you rub Dabos little head on the bus ride back to Clempson?
By SC6GOPChairman November 28, 2011 at 9:59 am
Gathering the kids and grandkids to watch the game–free
Hot dogs, hamburgers and steaks with all the trimmings–$50
Watching Carolina whip Clemson 34-13–PRICELESS
By Crooner November 28, 2011 at 10:04 am
We look more than a little silly celebrating our third win in a row vs Clemson. We haven’t led in this series since we won the first game. If we win the next twenty in a row we will still be behind.
But boy, was this one sweet. I sat behind a couple of orange-clad spectators (lots of corporate seats in the box) so it was doubly nice to blow them out.
I think USC should NOT let the governor into the Governor’s box if the governor went to Clemson.
By dubya November 28, 2011 at 3:26 pm
All you clemsux guys, you included SIC, will learn one day that “IT IS THE LAST TASTE YOU HAVE IN YOUR MOUTH THAT REALLY COUNTS.” So, take all that historical data and shove it. It’s mainly for the media to fill space and bore you with over and over again or to make you feel good after a loss or losses.
By Man Up! November 28, 2011 at 4:06 pm
So where is the infamous blow-hard CNSYD? Off acting like football doesn’t matter to him at the loss is neither here nor there? Bwahahahahahahahaha!
Here’s to a quiet few weeks until CNSYD forgets to put on his Exelon patch one day and resumes his history lectures. Cheers!
By 350ZLADY November 28, 2011 at 4:50 pm
I HEARD MY CLEMSON BUDDIES MAKE THE FATAL MISAKE SAT. NIGHT – “WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR” – HAHAHAHA – ORANGE BUMPER STICKERS ARE ON THE PRESS AS WE SPEAK… PUT YOUR ORDER IN !!!
By Good ole Boy November 28, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Crooner, we look “silly” celebrating our third straight beat down of the Tigers? What type of Clemson propaganda are you reading?
By smartchicken November 30, 2011 at 10:46 am
Tery Don should be on USC’s payroll. Walter Peyton could not run behind Clemson’s Offensive line.