COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Clemson Tigers are all about coming through in the fourth quarter. On Saturday, however, both teams came up big in the second quarter of the Tigers’ 28-14 victory over rival South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium.
In the annual Clemson-Carolina matchup, things started off slowly. In the first quarter, both teams came up empty on the scoreboard and each committed a turnover. The Tigers found 76 yards through the air, but couldn’t get in the end zone.
As the second quarter began, the Tigers used their field position on South Carolina’s 45-yard line to drive down the field and into the Gamecocks’ red zone. On third and short, running back Adam Randall rushed to the right, breaking multiple tackles and passing defenders on his way to a 10-yard touchdown for the first score of the game.
South Carolina received the ball after the Clemson touchdown, and within a minute and a half, the score was tied. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw consecutive passes for 10, 12, and 53 yards, the latter a bomb to receiver Nyck Harbor to cap off the drive with a touchdown. Defenders Ricardo Jones and Misun Kelly were caught yards behind Harbor, and the Gamecocks capitalized.
In a span of two minutes, both teams scored again.
It didn’t end there, however, as Clemson received the ball and put together an 11-play drive. The score was one of the most odd sequences that could’ve happened, as quarterback Cade Klubnik fumbled the ball, picked it back up, and took off to the left into the end zone without getting caught.
A play that was, in a sense, an odd summary of the Clemson Football season put the Tigers in the lead, 14-7.
The crazy second quarter didn’t stop there, as on South Carolina’s next offensive play from scrimmage, Sellers threw up a deep pass to receiver Vandrevius Jacobs. After grabbing it over two Clemson defenders, he turned around and took off, leaving cornerback Jeadyn Lukus standing by himself on his way to the end zone.
Only eight seconds after Klubnik’s rushing touchdown, South Carolina equalized the game.
It was hard to discern where the momentum was and where it would go next, but the Gamecocks were able to answer both of Clemson’s second-quarter touchdowns. Sellers passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns in four plays.
But the fun did not stop there.
On the Tigers’ next drive, Clemson used a 15-play drive that ended with a 32-yard Nolan Hauser field goal with 56 seconds to play before halftime. Five drives in a row with score.
In the end, the two teams combined for 336 yards and 31 points in the second quarter, as Clemson led 17-14 at the break. The Tigers amassed 194 yards, while the Gamecocks had 142 in what was without a doubt one of the craziest quarters in the history of the 122-year old rivalry.
In only the second quarter, Clemson earned 194 yards and 17 points, with scores coming in the air, on the ground, and through the uprights. The Gamecocks earned 149 in the air, but their -7 yards on the ground weakened their overall gain to 142.
The back-and-forth, momentum-shifting drive was followed by a slow third quarter and a fourth quarter that saw the Tigers secure two turnovers, one of which taken for a touchdown, and ultimately end the game with a 28-14 win.
Clemson will use the energy and momentum gained from the victory and await their bowl game selection on Sunday, Dec. 7.
