The 411 on Clemson’s physical destruction of South Carolina
By: Cameron Burnett November 25, 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. – It wasn’t pretty, but the Clemson Tigers marched into Williams-Brice and handled business in a 16-7 win over South Carolina.

This game held extra weight as always, but Clemson stripped away the Gamecocks’ bowl hopes and it came on the heels of the Tigers’ physical dominance. Here’s the 411 on Clemson’s rivalry win in front of a sellout crowd.

-Where would Clemson have been in this game if it weren’t for kicker Jonathan Weitz. He came into the game 8-14 with a career-high of 41 yards. In front of 80,172 on the road, Weitz put kicks from 42, 49 and 50 yards through the uprights, all which would be career highs on their own. It’s been a chaotic year to say the least for Weitz, but

-Defense travels, and that statement could never be more true than the Tigers’ performance against South Carolina. The Gamecocks had 92 yards in the first quarter, but Wes Goodwin’s adjustments choked out any remaining offensive life. Clemson allowed a lowly 77 yards in the next three quarters, and the Tigers went into cruise control.

-Offensive woes on the road continued, but the run game kept this game in Clemson’s hands. 46 carries for 219 yards was the total, with a hefty mix of Will Shipley, Phil Mafah and Cade Klubnik taking care of the ground. That made it effectively impossible for South Carolina to get back into the game.

-Even with a strong run game, the Tigers offense reached the red zone… one time. This was an anemic outing from the passing game and Klubnik finished 15-27 for 100 yards and an interception. A win is a win, but Clemson might burn the tape on this offensive performance.

TURNING POINT

The word go. Clemson came out with a touchdown on a heads-up play by freshman safety Khalil Barnes, and that ended up matching the Gamecocks’ scoring total. All it took was the Tigers not shooting themselves in the foot to win. It did anyways, but the defense was lights out.

TELLING STAT: 16:00

That’s the difference in time of possession. Clemson’s run game was reliable, and it allowed the Tigers to keep their championship-level defense fresh. Ugly wins are still wins, and that’s paramount in a rivalry.

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