No. 16 South Carolina (8-3, No. 15 CFP) at No. 12 Clemson (9-2, No. 12), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Clemson by 2 1/2.
Series record: Clemson leads 73-43-4.
What’s at stake?
Perhaps a spot in the College Football Playoff. While other contenders have fallen aside, South Carolina and Clemson have done plenty of winning the past couple of months, perhaps enough to vault the Gamecocks or the Tigers in the 12-team field. A South Carolina win would be its sixth straight and fourth over a ranked opponent in that stretch. A Clemson victory would be its 10th in the past 11 games since a season-opening, 34-3 beatdown by Georgia.
Key matchup
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik vs. South Carolina defensive ends Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart. Klubnik was a mistake-prone passer a year ago in his first season as a starter. He has re-invented himself this year, completing 63% of his passes for 29 touchdowns and four interceptions. Klubnik will face a couple of the SEC’s best pass rushers in Kennard and Stewart, who have combined for 25 tackles for loss and 18 sacks. The Gamecocks are second in the SEC in sacks this season with 39.
Players to watch
South Carolina: QB LaNorris Sellers has steadily improved his poise and productivity during his team’s five-game winning streak. Sellers, in his first year starting, has 13 of his 17 touchdowns the past five games and had his first two 300-yard passing games the last two weeks.
Clemson: LB Barrett Carter is a past All-American who’s a finalist for the Butkus Award. He said he’s not gotten past a 31-30 South Carolina comeback win at Clemson two years ago and is eager to make amends in his final regular-season game at home.
Facts & figures
This series dates to 1896 when the schools first met in Columbia. … It’s the seventh time overall the rivalry game has featured two ranked teams. South Carolina has won five of the six, including the last time when it won 31-17. … The Clemson-South Carolina game was played every year between 1910-2019 but was canceled during the COVID-19 season of 2020 before resuming a year later. … Clemson is looking for its 13th 10-win year in coach Dabo Swinney’s 16 full seasons. … The Tigers, who went 7-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, have a chance to reach the league title game if No. 8 Miami loses at Syracuse. … South Carolina set a program first when it defeated then-No. 10 Texas A&M, then-No. 24 Vanderbilt and then-No. 24 Missouri in three straight weeks. … Clemson running back Phil Mafah went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark last week in a win over The Citadel. … South Carolina tailback Raheim “Rocket” Sanders has had six of his 11 touchdowns this season during his team’s five-game win streak. … Clemson has six double-digit wins over power conference opponents this season, tied for most in the country.
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