COLUMBIA — South Carolina football had its worst offensive output of the season in an 16-7 loss to rival Clemson at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, and it will miss out on a bowl game as a result.
The Gamecocks (5-7) logged just 169 total yards against the Tigers (8-4), surpassing their previous season low of 209 against Texas A&M in Week 9. Clemson, after being held under 125 yards in the first half, logged 116 yards in the third quarter alone to the Gamecocks’ eight. The Tigers finished with 319 yards of offense.
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Quarterback Spencer Rattler never found a rhythm against the Tigers’ top-10 defense. The star quarterback finished 16-of-32 passing for his worst completion percentage of the season and gave up two turnovers with zero touchdowns. It was only his second game of the season with less than 200 yards rushing and his first with less than 175.
South Carolina struggles to overcome disastrous start
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South Carolina started the game on an 18-yard connection from Rattler to Xavier Legette, but Legette dropped a backward pass on the next play that was returned by Clemson’s Khalil Barnes for a 42-yard touchdown. The Tigers picked up their second turnover seconds later as Barnes intercepted a deep pass intended for Legette to open the Gamecocks’ second drive.
The defense prevented a complete meltdown, stalling Clemson’s momentum after the interception by forcing a punt with a third-down sack from Tyreek Johnson. The offense erased the deficit on its next drive, putting together an 81-yard series capped by a rushing touchdown from Luke Doty on a reverse.
Spencer Rattler and Cade Klubnik struggled early
Rattler had perhaps his worst first half of the season even beyond the early turnovers. The senior quarterback went 7-of-14 passing for just 34 yards in the first half, though Cade Klubnik didn’t fare much better. The Tigers’ quarterback went 8-of-15 for 32 yards in the first half, though he avoided any interceptions despite a couple of close calls.
However, both quarterbacks were effective on the ground. Klubnik led the team with 39 rushing yards at halftime, and Rattler had 25 before taking a long sack late in the second quarter. Rattler’s situation devolved quickly though: He took another long sack early in the third quarter and finished with 16 rushing yards. Klubnik finished 15-of-27 for 100 yards passing.
South Carolina defense finally breaks through
Though Clemson boasts an All-American defensive lineman in Jeremiah Trotter, the Gamecocks’ defensive front kept pace early. Both teams logged three tackles for loss and a sack in the first half, and both sacks came on third down to force punts. The line held the Tigers’ dynamic running back duo to a combined 50 yards in the first half despite an impressive rushing performance from Klubnik.
The defense kept South Carolina alive every time the offense struggled. After a three-and-out to start the third quarter, sophomore Nick Emmanwori made a one-handed leaping interception in the end zone that prevented Clemson from opening up a double-digit lead.
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