South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Clemson Tigers Complete Game Preview
The Clemson Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks will square off Saturday in another chapter of the storied rivalry. The Gamecocks—winners of five straight against Clemson—have been through a rough season, but a win Saturday would make the season a success.
The big question mark for Clemson will be whether quarterback Deshaun Watson will be able to play. He is still listed as day-to-day, and we probably won’t know much until late in the week.
This should be another great matchup, and I don’t see any scenario where this game doesn’t come down to a few plays in the fourth quarter.
South Carolina's Keys to Victory
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Get Pressure on the Quarterback
Whether it’s Watson or Cole Stoudt, the Gamecocks will need to get after the quarterback. South Carolina’s pass defense—which ranks 46th nationally—will not be able to sit back and make plays. The Gamecocks will need to dial up the pressure and force mistakes from the Tigers.
Run the Ball Effectively
The Gamecocks will need to establish the running game to move the ball on Saturday. Running the ball will keep pressure off Dylan Thompson, and it will also help the Gamecocks control the clock. The Tigers have the ability to bring pressure if they get teams into passing situations, so it’s important that Carolina stays out of long-yardage situations on third down.
Clemson's Keys to Victory
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Win the Turnover Battle
The Tigers turned it over six times in Columbia last season but surprisingly still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. That doesn’t happen very often, so the Tigers won’t be able to make multiple mistakes on Saturday. Turnovers have really hurt Clemson in this series over the past few seasons, so fixing this issue could be the solution.
Get Off the Field on Third Down
The Gamecocks were 10-of-19 on third down in last season’s game, and that helped them control the ball for 38 minutes of that game. The Tigers defense is very good, but even the best defenses will eventually wear down if they can’t get off the field.
South Carolina Players to Watch
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Dylan Thompson
The senior quarterback came out of Death Valley victorious two years ago, so he knows how to win on the road. The Gamecocks need him to have a good game to win Saturday, and it all starts with him protecting the football.
He has 11 interceptions on the season, but he won’t be able to afford many turnovers against Clemson’s defense. The Tigers are a solid defensive unit—only giving up 252.4 yards per game—so South Carolina will have to take advantage of every opportunity that it gets.
Mike Davis
We stated that establishing the run game will be important for Carolina, so Davis is definitely a player to watch. He was shut down by the Tigers last season with only 22 yards on 15 carries, but I think he will be out to have a big game after struggling a bit against South Alabama.
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Clemson Players to Watch
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Deshaun Watson
If No. 4 is on the field, he is the main player to watch for the Tigers. His ability to run the football—he averages 3.2 yards per carry this season—makes the offense appear much smoother and gives it another dimension.
Mackensie Alexander
South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper is one of the most exciting players in the country, and Alexander will likely have the tough task of covering him. The star wide receiver is averaging 15.88 yards per catch, so I think we could see Carolina take some shots to him down the field.
What They're Saying
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Clemson Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris
On Tyshon Dye’s availability, per David Hood of TigerNet.com: “I think you will see those guys [Wayne Gallman and Dye] be a big 1-2 punch. He will play…at what magnitude I don’t know, but he will play and be a big part of it.”
On game planning with Watson’s status up in the air, per Hood: “We have had a couple of situations this year where you prepare for one plan and be ready to use the next plan. We are actively preparing for any scenario that we have. We will know a lot more as the week unfolds.”
South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier
On facing Clemson’s defense, per David Caraviello of The Post and Courier: “Brent Venables and that staff, they know what they’re doing, and they’ve got good athletes doing it. So it’s a very good defense.”
On the approach to this weekend’s game, per Caraviello: “Obviously, this is our big game of the year now. We’re not in contention for any divisional or SEC stuff, so this is the state championship game. We’ve got to get ready to go up there and play our best game of the year.”
Predicted Outcome
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I think this game will be very close, but I like the Tigers at home. The Tigers are playing very well defensively as of late, and I think that unit can pressure Thompson into some mistakes.
I also like the Tigers’ ability to run the football with Watson in the game. Gallman has been impressive the last few weeks, and Watson can keep defenses off balance by running the zone read.
Steve Spurrier will have a great game plan, as he always does, but the Gamecocks could struggle to stop the run. South Carolina's rush defense ranks 109th nationally, and I think the Tigers will be able to control the clock with the running game.
This prediction is based on the thinking that Watson will play, but Clemson's defense will keep this game close either way. South Carolina is still a very talented team despite the 6-5 record, and the Gamecocks are very capable of winning this game.
Clemson 27, South Carolina 24
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