Painter’s Preview: Clemson vs. South Carolina
Clemson’s final game of the regular season concludes with their 8-3 rivals, the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Tigers enter into this contest 9-2, and there are a lot of implications on the line for both squads. With the chaos in College Football, this top match-up on rivalry weekend could propel the winner in the first ever 12-team College Football Playoffs. South Carolina comes into this game playing with a lot of swagger, but will that cockiness get the best of them against the Tigers or will they keep Clemson out of the Playoffs on the road just like in 2022? Clemson limps into this game with a lot of injuries, but will the Tigers heart launch them to another win and a possible Playoff berth?
Clemson Preview:
Clemson comes into this contest on a three game win streak; however, injuries across the field have tortured the Tigers. The Tigers have eight starters currently injured, and their availability is questionable. Clemson has overcome these injuries on the road with the help of great performances from Quarterback Cade Klubnik and a fantastic Defense. Cade Klubnik is performing at an elite level, and he is yet to get any national recognition. Klubnik has produced stats up to this point that have only been done by 6 other Quarterbacks: 4 past Heisman Winners and 2 Heisman Finalists. He has thrown for 2,761 passing yards, 29 TDs, and 4 INT while also adding 375 yards and 5 TDs on the ground (ESPN). Nobody expected this type of jump in production from the Junior, but Coach Swinney and Cade Klubnik have showcased the importance of development. Klubnik has been excellent in protecting the football all season long, but South Carolina thrives on creating turnovers. He has to protect the football for Clemson to win this high caliber match-up. Klubnik’s Offensive Line have their toughest task of the season as they prepare to go up against one of the best Defensive Lines in the country. Clemson’s Offensive Line currently has two starters injured, and their status is up in the air for Saturday. These two starters are needed because Clemson’s OL depth has also been thwarted by injuries. The Tigers have given up 16 sacks on Klubnik all season; however, 9 of those sacks have come in the past 3 three games (ESPN). South Carolina is prepping to get pressure on Klubnik all day long, and this game will depend a lot on how Clemson’s OL performs. The Gamecock DL also excels at stopping the run, and Star Running Back Phil Mafah will also have a tough challenge. Mafah has just achieved over 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career, but he will need to have a performance similar to his Notre Dame performance last season on Saturday. Mafah has yet to truly dominant an opposing team that excels at stopping the run, and it will be needed for him to produce at an elite level against South Carolina. The Receiving Core for the Tigers have lost their second starting caliber Receiver due to injury in Troy Stellato, and this core has just become controlled by 4 main guys. Leading this core is WR Antonio Williams who has caught 58 passes for 689 yards and 10 TDs (ESPN). Williams is looking for redemption against the Gamecocks because of his late fumble that sealed the game in South Carolina’s favor in 2022. Williams has broke aways as the clear top target and do not expect him to slow down on Saturday. Behind Williams, WR Bryant Wesco Jr., WR T.J. Moore, and TE Jake Briningstool all have accumulated over 400 receiving yards while combining for 12 TDs (ESPN). These two Freshmen Receivers have elevated Clemson’s passing attack, but they need a great performance against the Gamecocks. The Tigers have struggled to catch 50-50 balls all season and that needs to change to give the Tigers the best shot to win.
The Clemson Defense is coming off a horrible performance against the Citadel, but before that, they put on two defensive masterclasses. It seems like we have no clue what Defense we are going to see on Saturday, but for Clemson to win they need to be able to stop the run. The Tiger Defense has struggled creating pressure in the rushing attack and passing attack all year, but the Defensive Line showcased their potential against Pittsburgh and a bad OL. South Carolina has had an underperforming OL, and it can be a spot Clemson can exploit. DE T.J. Parker led the way with 4 sacks against the Panthers, and he needs to get a couple of sacks on Saturday against the dangerous LaNorris Sellers. Star Peter Woods has transitioned back into the interior of the Defensive Line and has been much better at creating pressure from that angle. Clemson’s DL has to get to Sellers on multiple occasions on Saturday or the Tigers will not have a fun day. The Tiger Linebackers will have more of the task of tackling Sellers with his ability to extend plays, and it will be vital to get Junior Linebacker Wade Woodaz back. Clemson showcased a three Linebacker set against Virginia Tech, and they held the Hokies and their dangerous rushing attack to less than 70 yards (ESPN). Woodaz has been out with a leg injury, so the Tigers have been unable to play three Linebackers because of their lack of depth. Expect Woodaz to play and expect to see these three Linebackers to stop the Gamecocks’ rushing ability. The match-up between Clemson’s Front Seven and South Carolina’s rushing attack will be the most important factor in this game. If South Carolina is able to run the ball at the rate that Louisville did against Clemson, then the Tigers will not win this game. Clemson’s Secondary has been their most consistent part of their Defense, but two bad performances against Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech have created some question marks. Star Cornerback Avieon Terrell has put on two bad performances, but expect a bounce back performance from the great Cornerback. Opposite of Terrell, it is expected to be Freshman Ashton Hampton. Hampton is a new starter for this Defense, but his coverages have been great in his snaps. The Safeties have been hurt by injuries as well due to the injury of R.J. Mickens. Mickens in expected to be back for this game, and Clemson has showcased talent opposite of him. Khalil Barnes is a proven starter and Freshman Ricardo Jones has been a good depth option for the Safeties. Clemson’s Defense has to slow down South Carolina’s Offense for Clemson to win because I do not expect the Offense to score over 30 points. It will be interesting to see how Clemson treats some coaches on staff if South Carolina destroys them in this game.
South Carolina Preview:
South Carolina comes into this contest on fire, winning five straight games and two games against top 25 opponents. The Gamecocks enter this contest 8-3 with two of those three losses coming against two top 15 teams. Their Offense is led by first year starting Quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Sellers is a Redshirt Freshman who had some big shoes to fill coming into the season with the departure of Spencer Rattler. After a slow start, Sellers has proved up the task and his dual-threat ability has guided the Gamecocks into the position they are now. He has thrown for 2,110 passing yards, 17 TDs, and 6 INTs while adding almost 500 yards and 5 TDs on the ground (ESPN). Sellers has displayed an ability to create plays off-platform, and it will be interesting to see how the Tigers are able to limit his ability to create plays off of busted plays. Offensively, LaNorris’ Sellers rushing ability is the Gamecocks key to beating Clemson. Along side Sellers in the backfield is veteran Transfer Senior Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sanders came into the South Carolina to save their running game after losing starting Running Back Mario Anderson to Memphis. Raheim Sanders is a former Arkansas Ravorback and has reinvented his career in South Carolina. Sanders has rushed for over 800 yards and 11 TDs, and his 230 pound frame along side Sellers will be their focus Offensively to beat the Tigers (ESPN). The Gamecock Receiving Corps has been sporadic all season long, and they do not have a clear top target. Leading their squad is sixth-year Graduate Tight End Joshua Simon who is having the best year of his career catching 31 passes for 433 yards and 6 TDS (ESPN). Along side Simon as their top targets is Freshman WR Mazeo Bennett Jr. Bennett is a former 4-star from Greenville High School who has flashed his potential all season receiving 28 passes for 324 yards and 3 TDs (ESPN). Behind these two guys, it is a question mark for USC on who will step up during the game. There’s a combination of six guys that help bolster their pass catching which include Raheim Sanders, and Receivers Nyck Harbor, Dalveon Campbell, Gage Larvadain, Jared Brown, and Vandrevius Jacobs. The most likely guys to step up are Harbor and Brown. Harbor is a former 5-star athlete that is learning to play Receiver and has been consistently improving for the Gamecocks. Jared Brown is a Coastal Carolina Transfer who has produced his entire career, and he is coming on as of late for South Carolina. Clemson’s Secondary will have a tough time stopping these guys especially with LaNorris Sellers’ ability to extend plays. The Gamecock Offensive Line is the clear weak spot on this Offense. South Carolina ranks 123rd in sacks given up per game while also ranking just 80th in yards per carry (“TeamRankings.com: Sports Predictions, Rankings & Stats”). Clemson has struggled all season long in stopping the run and creating pressure on the opposing Quarterback; however, this trend cannot continue for the Tigers to come out with a win.
The Carolina Defense has been their strong spot all season giving up just 20 points a game against Power Conference Opponents (ESPN). Leading this Defense has been an incredibly dangerous Defensive Line. Senior Transfer DE Kyle Kennard and Freshman DE Dylan Steward have been one of the most dominant Defensive End duo in all of the country. Kennard, a former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, has accumulated 11.5 sacks this season which is his most in his college career propelling himself into a high draft pick. Steward came onto the scene early into the season with his quick first step, and he has had 6.5 sacks so far this season (ESPN). The interior of their Defensive Line does not fall off in talent either with RS/Jr T.J. Sanders and Graduate Tonka Hemingway (“NFL Draft Guide, Mock Drafts, News | Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services”). Both veteran DT’s have acumulated 4 sacks each this season, and they have helped South Carolina rank 18th in rushing yards allowed per game and 4th in sacks per game (“TeamRankings.com: Sports Predictions, Rankings & Stats”). South Carolina is looking to win the game off a big Defensive Line performance due to Clemson’s health concerns on the Offensive Line, and it will be a major factor in who ends up winning this game. Behind the dangerous DL, South Carolina plays a veteran unit of Linebackers that have all played at least 4 years of College Football. The leader of this unit is sixth-year Graduate Transfer Demetrius Knight Jr. Knight, a former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket and Charlotte 49er, is second in total tackles while also accounting for 2 sacks (ESPN). Knight and his fellow Linebackers have played a vital part in stopping the rush and will be very physical with the Tigers. The Gamecock Secondary does not fall off either ranking 34th in passing yards allowed per game, and the Tigers Offense has a very difficult on Saturday (“TeamRankings.com: Sports Predictions, Rankings & Stats”). Leading this Secondary is Junior Safety Nick Emmanwori, Sophomore Cornerback Jalen Kilgore, and RS/Sr Cornerback O’Donnell Fortune. This core of guys have accumulated for 11 interceptions and have been very difficult on opposing Quarterbacks. South Carolina thrives on creating turnovers ranking 8th in the country forcing 2 per game (“TeamRankings.com: Sports Predictions, Rankings & Stats”). Clemson has showcased an improved ability to protect the football, but if this Gamecock Defense can create turnovers early, it will be a long day for Clemson.
Keys to a Tiger Victory:
Protect the Rock: As mentioned, South Carolina thrives on turnovers and short field position. The Gamecocks put away Oklahoma early into their game because of early turnovers scoring 21 points in the first quarter. Cade Klubnik and the Clemson Offense has looked completely different from last season with turnovers as they have been one of the best teams in the country in protecting the ball. Klubnik and Co. have their toughest challenge yet as South Carolina will dial up pressure to create these harmful situations. Clemson has to win the turnover margin to win this game. The Offense cannot turn it over more than just once, and the Defense needs to produce at least one turnover. Cade Klubnik will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders on Saturday, and we will see how he performs will all the pressure.
Pressure, Pressure, Pressure: South Carolina’s Offensive Line has been underperforming all year, yet Clemson’s Front Seven have struggled creating pressure. LaNorris Sellers was sacked 12 times in total in their three losses, and Clemson will need to take him down at least three to disrupt this Offense. T.J. Parker and Peter Woods are the main guys to look for on Saturday to create this disruption. However, Clemson does not just need to sack Sellers, but they need to stop the Gamecock rushing attack. If Wade Woodaz plays, expect to see three Linebacker sets to stop the run and so far this season the three Linebacker sets have worked. If Clemson plays just 2 Linebackers at a time, then it will be extremely difficult for Clemson to stop the run, and I would expect this game to look like the Louisville game. The Tigers need three Linebackers and a performing DL to create pressure, pressure, and pressure in the rush and passing game. Clemson needs at least 3 sacks, and they need to limit South Carolina to less than 150 rushing yards.
Make Plays: The Tigers need their guys to just make more plays than South Carolina. It sounds simple, but Clemson has thrived on big explosive plays all season. We need to see these types of explosive plays for Clemson to win. Louisville and Georgia shut down these explosive plays, and Clemson got run off the field in both games. The Tigers Offensively need to catch 50-50 balls, throw the ball down field, and create big running holes. While Defensively, Clemson needs to get big hits and turnovers to get the crowd going. Clemson, on paper, is by far the more talented roster than South Carolina, but will Clemson’s guys make the big plays in a big game?
Tiger Watch: T.J. Parker and Peter Woods
I have mentioned these two guys multiple times in this article, and it shows how important these two Sophomores are to Clemson’s chances of winning. Parker and Woods dominated a struggling Pittsburgh OL, and they need to do the same at home against South Carolina. T.J. Parker needs to get to Sellers at least once, but his speed on the outside also is needed to contain Sellers within the pocket. Peter Woods is finally healthy coming into this game, and his dominance within the interior is needed to take the attention away from Clemson’s other rushers. Woods does not need to dominant the stat sheet for his performance to be worth a win, but he needs to control the interior of South Carolina’s OL. This game will come down to who wins the in the trenches, and these two stars are Clemson’s best chance to control what happens in the trenches.
Painter’s Prediction:
All season long, I have struggled with what way I want to go in who wins these game. It is even more tough now because of what is at stake for both squads. Clemson hit their stride early into the season, and a late season tumble makes me question their ability to win. However, South Carolina, on paper, are not as talented as the Tigers and their cockiness can easily shoot themselves in the foot on the road. Clemson’s crowd will help the Tigers a ton in this game if Clemson does not let this game go away early. South Carolina walked into Death Valley in 2022 and cost Clemson a possible Playoff Appearance. Will they do that again? Clemson will win 28-20 in a close one that will come down to South Carolina’s last possession. The current spread is -2.5 in Clemson’s favor and my score prediction tells us to take Clemson to cover. My current record is 9-2 in predictions and 7-4 ATS.
Sources:
“TeamRankings.com: Sports Predictions, Rankings & Stats.” Www.teamrankings.com, www.teamrankings.com/.
“Sports Reference | Sports Stats, Fast, Easy, and Up-To-Date | Sports-Reference.com.” Sports-Reference.com, 2019, www.sports-reference.com/.
“NFL Draft Guide, Mock Drafts, News | Ourlads’ NFL Scouting Services.” Ourlads.com, 2024, www.ourlads.com/.
ESPN. “ESPN.” ESPN.com, 2019, www.espn.com/.