Fourth-ranked Clemson ended its season with a decisive 56-7 victory over South Carolina on Saturday. The Clemson Insider doled out a handful of helmet stickers to deserving players following the win.
Mike Williams
Williams performed like a player looking to maximize every moment in his finale. The wideout known for his length and leaping ability showcased some impressive on-the-ground strength on multiple occasions, finishing off receptions by carrying defenders for extra yardage—often into the end zone. Williams caught six passes for a team-best 100 yards and three touchdowns. It was the first three-score game of Williams’ career, as well as the first ever recorded by a Tiger against the Gamecocks. Williams scored the game’s first touchdown from 34 yards out by outworking Jamarcus King to come down with a jump ball in man coverage, then he added a pair of touchdowns later in the first half—from 19 and 16 yards, respectively—by catching the ball and dragging would-be tacklers across the goal line. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Lake Marion native had combined for just 68 yards and no touchdowns in two career meetings with South Carolina.
Artavis Scott
As a freshman, Scott burst onto the scene in the eyes of many with a seven-catch, 185-yard, two-touchdown game against the Gamecocks at home. Saturday’s performance didn’t quite match that one, but it was clearly his second-best of the season. Scott had a team-high eight receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Those catches tied him with Aaron Kelly for second in school history with 232 receptions, eight behind Sammy Watkins. Scott was also a factor on special teams. His exploits included a career-best 28-yard punt return, and he led the Tigers with 129 all-purpose yards.
Wayne Gallman
For the second straight game, Gallman was the featured back for an offense that was determined to muscle its opponent up front and utilize its offensive line to run the football. The redshirt junior rushed the ball 19 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, his third consecutive game against the Gamecocks in which he reached triple digits on the ground. Gallman averaged 5.9 yards per carry to pace a Tiger rushing attack that accumulated 250 yards in Saturday’s game. His eight-yard run to the end zone with 3:06 to go in the first half extended Clemson’s lead to 28-0.
CJ Fuller
The Easley native had his best game in college against Clemson’s in-state rival. Fuller ran for 46 yards—almost 28 percent of his total for the year—on just seven carries. His average of 6.6 yards per carry led the team, and he added a touchdown on a beautiful wheel route from 18 yards away on the Tigers’ first drive of the third quarter. It was his second career touchdown overall and his first career touchdown catch.
Jadar Johnson
Clemson didn’t spend much time on defense in this one as the Tigers stifled almost every Gamecock drive almost as soon as it began. That meant the few big plays they created were magnified. Early in the game, Johnson might have supplied the most important one. After Greg Huegel’s lone field goal attempt was blocked, Jake Bentley tried to go downfield to seize control of the momentum. Johnson was playing centerfield as the lone deep safety in coverage. He read Bentley’s eyes and tracked the ball in the air toward the left sideline, intercepting the pass and retaining possession for the Tigers at the South Carolina 47. Three plays after Johnson’s team-leading fifth interception of the season, Clemson would score its first touchdown of the game.
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