COLUMBIA — What we saw from the Clemson defense on Saturday night was not history, but it was pretty darn close.
The 24th-ranked Tigers held rival South Carolina to 169 total yards in a 16-7 smothering of the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium.
“I am really proud of our defense. I felt like I was back at Alabama in the 90s,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “We kind of played to the defense all night.”
USC (5-7) crossed midfield once all night. It finished the evening just 2 of 13 on third down. The Gamecocks averaged just 2.4 yards per carry, while quarterback Spencer Rattler and the USC passing game was held to 112 yards.
By the way, the defense also scored the Tigers’ only touchdown – a 42-yard fumble return by safety Khalil Barnes on the game’s second play from scrimmage.
“It was special,” defensive end Xavier Thomas said. “We know how we prepare and how serious we take our preparation and game plan. We just went out there and executed it. It was a perfect game plan for us, and we just went out there and trusted our guys.”
The Gamecocks’ 169 yards were the fewest by a South Carolina offense against Clemson since Levon Kirkland’s Tigers held those Gamecocks to 155 yards at this same venue in 1989.
The only thing that kept it from being a perfect night for the Clemson defense was the Gamecocks’ lone score which came with 6:39 to play in the first quarter. After that they managed just 84 yards and punted on eighth consecutive possessions.
“If you were really watching the game, we played really well,” Swinney said. “Sometimes in games like that, the best offensive play is a good punt.”
When you have a defense as good as Clemson’s you can play like the Tigers’ offense did on Saturday night.
“I have never seen anything like it, honestly,” Clemson wide receiver Tyler Brown said. “Just to go up against those guys in practice, that creates so much competition in us an offense. You just have to appreciate them.
“I love watching them. They always create energy. They start us out with a bang. I love our defense for sure.”