By Will Vandervort.
By Will Vandervort
Here is an inside look at the Clemson-South Carolina series as the ninth-ranked Clemson Tigers host No. 12 South Carolina at Memorial Stadium in Clemson Saturday. The game will be televised by ESPN at 7:15 p.m.
About the Gamecocks: South Carolina has won three-straight games, all at home, after dropping back-to-back road games at top 10 foes LSU and Florida. The Gamecocks have won 20 of their last 24 games and the senior class already owns a school record 36 wins.
The Gamecocks offense: Quarterback Connor Shaw is known for his mobility, especially after what he did to the Tigers last season when he rushed for 102 yards, but he has spent much of this last week nursing a foot injury. The Gamecocks have been without star running back Marcus Lattimore the last two games after a season-ending injury, and the running game has suffered. Bruce Ellington has 31 catches for 492 yards and four scores at wide receiver, while Ace Sanders has six touchdowns on 30 catches.
The Gamecocks defense: The Gamecocks have one of the best defensive fronts in the country. Led by future All-American Jadeveon Clowney (6-6, 256), South Carolina leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally in sacks with 34. Clowney owns 8.5 of those sacks and also leads the team with 17 tackles for loss.
The Gamecocks Special Teams: Sanders leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally with a 13.9 yard average on punt returns. The Gamecocks are averaging just 20 yards on kickoff returns and kicker Adam Yates is 9 of 13 on the season and is 2-4 on kicks over 40 yards.
Records: Clemson 10-1; South Carolina 9-2
Series record: Clemson leads 65-40-4
At Clemson: Clemson leads 16-9-1
Streak: South Carolina has won three straight
Last meeting: 2011: South Carolina 34, Clemson 13
Last meeting at Clemson: 2010: South Carolina 29, Clemson 7
First meeting: 1896: South Carolina 12, Clemson 6
Clemson’s biggest margin of victory: 51 points (51-0 in 1900)
South Carolina’s biggest margin of victory: 36 points (56-20 in 1975)
Stat worth noting: The team entering the game with the best record has a 19-7-1 record since 1981.
Second stat worth noting: The team with the better record in the last seven years entering the game is 2-5.
Third stat worth noting: This is only the second time in history both teams enter the game ranked in the top 15 in the national polls. The only other time was in 1987 when 12th-ranked South Carolina beat No. 8 Clemson 20-7 in Columbia.
Memorable game: (November 23, 2002) Clemson outscored South Carolina 14-0 in the fourth quarter to defeat the Gamecocks 27-20 in the 100th meeting between the two schools. Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst completed 27 of 38 passes for 287 yards, while also running for the game-tying score. Bernard Rambert scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. The Tigers ran out the final 6:25 on the clock to win the game.