Gamecocks tame Tigers, 34-13;

Defense dominates and Shaw steps up at QB

Columbia, SC - Gamecock sophomore QB Connor Shaw came of age and played the best game of his short career while the Gamecock defensive unit mangled the Clemson Tiger offense to clobber their instate rival for the third straight year for a 34-13 victory.  Shaw ran for 107 yards and one TD on19 carries while completing 14 of 20 passes for 210 yards and three TDs.  The defense, led by DT Melvin Ingram who had two sacks among his five tackles for 19 negative yards, held a Clemson offense that averaged over 360 yards per game, to only 153 yards in total offense.  Clemson QB Tajh Boyd was sacked 5 times and under pressure constantly throughout the game.  In this series dating back over 105 contests, this is only the second time that the Cocks have won three consecutive games over the Tigers.  For Collegefootballfan.com, it was our first USC-Clemson game and the first time we attended a Clemson game since 1980.  In the loss we witnessed to Maryland that year, it was their last before they reeled off 13 straight wins to take the National Championship in 1981.  The Cocks are now 5-0 in games that we've attended.

     South Carolina moved the ball on the ground effectively on its first possession with Shaw and Brandon Wilds gaining most yards to start.  Jay Wooten made good on a 47-yard FG to take a 3-0 lead for USC.  Clemson went three and out on its opening possession.  Shaw launched a 49-yard bomb to WR Bruce Ellington to go up, 10-0.  A short kickoff started Clemson on its own 42. A dropped pass by wide-open Sammy Watkins thwarted what looked like a sure score for the Tigers in retaliation, but they went three and out on their next possession once again.

     Clemson continued a new drive into the second period.  At The SC nine, Boyd (11 of 29, 83 yards, one TD, one INT) faked a hand-off and floated a pass over a defender to TE Dwayne Allen who tumbled over a defender into the end zone for six.  With Chandler Catanzaro's PAT, the Tigers closed within three, 10-7.  On SC's next series, Clemson forced a punt.  P Joey Scribner-Howard muffed a low snap and his awkward attempt was blocked and the Tigers recovered on the Gamecock 26.  The D held, and Clemson tied their rival on Catanzaro's 32-yard FG.  The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds to start SC from their own 40.  Driving down to the 15, Shaw wove his way though the middle if the Tiger defense for a TD with 1:55 left in the half.  The Cocks led going into intermission, 17-10.

     Both bands entertained with SC mascot Cocky finishing up a tribute to him with the theme from "Rocky" as he sent out forces that knocked out the Georgia Bulldog, the Florida Gator, a Kentucky Wildcat, and a Tennessee Coon Hound before toppling the Clemson Tiger himself.  However, more physical action took place in the stands in the opposite corner from where Guest Game Analyst Eric Koreivo and I sat in section 309.  In the SC student section sat a young girl wearing Clemson orange.  Her male "friend" wearing gray challenged the local fans who showered them with boos by standing and pumping his arms to "bring it on". Things flew at him before a Carolina fan eventually dumped a bucket of popcorn on him.  Before anything escalated, I saw security in florescent vests subdue both quickly taking the SC fan down the steps to under the stadium  immediately while five held down the challenger in gray.  It seemed to take a few minutes to get him cuffed before he was escorted below.  One guard eventually escorted the girl in orange down below as well. You realize that despite the rivalry, being two state schools in a relatively small state population-wise, these people live, work, and exist with each other daily.  Many families have ties to both schools.  My daughter, Alex, and my money both now go to USC.  We have cousins who attended Clemson, and we all live in NJ.  I can't wait to see them at Christmas this year!  I know what we're all going to wear.

     Clemson started the second half with another three and out. Shaw connected with WR Rory Anderson on a 55-yard pass to the Clemson five.  Two plays later, Shaw double clutched avoiding a defender and hit Anderson just over the goal line on the right side for a three-yard TD pass for  24-10 lead.  Both defenses held the offenses in check for the balance of the third.

    Clemson drove down to the SC 15 for a first down, but came away with only three on Catanzaro's 41-yard FG.  The Gamecocks countered with a field goal of their own staring from their own 31 to put Wooten into position for a 36-yarder  for a 27-13 lead.  Clemson's next drive resulted with a pick of Boyd by SS DeVonte Holloman who put the home team in business at Clemson's 19.  From nine yards out, Shaw connected with a streaking Alshon Jeffery on a crossing pattern along the back of the end zone for a TD with 5:20 to seal the victory for South Carolina.  The defense dominated Clemson down the stretch to finish their season 10-2, 6-2 for the Gamecocks second 10-win season in their history.  They will probably await a New Year's Day bowl bid.  Clemson finished 9-3 and 6-2 in the ACC Coastal Division.  They will play Virginia Tech next Saturday for the ACC championship. With no teams playing within driving distance next weekend before leaving on a business trip, CFF.com will have to wait another week to determine if we can see a game the following weekend. Depending  on play at other levels of the NCAA, we only know our next game will be the Military Bowl in Washington, DC on December 28.  Check out our site for further updates.

Extra points: USC Heisman Trophy winner, George Rogers, led the home crowd at Williams-Brice Stadium in their traditional cheers across the stadium of "Game" and "Cocks".  There were a lot of empty seats in the upper decks among 83,442 in attendance as many students left Columbia for the weekend due to the holiday.  The school doesn't make it easy for the out of state kids to stay as they lock down the dorms until Sunday.  We opted to spend our weekend with Alex down in Columbia to see her, go to the game, and to have Thanksgiving with our Auburn friends the Murrens in Monroe, Georgia. It was a good weekend.  Alex and her Mom, Laurie, opted to watch the game from BWW as most of Alex's closest friends went home for the weekend.

After the first period, SC introduced Sol Blatt, Jr. attending his 80th SC-Clemson game.  Sol is a 90-year old retired judge from South Carolina.  According to a report by Ron Morris in Sundays' The State, he attended his first game in 1927 when he was six, and missed four games in 1942-45 while in the Navy.  I wonder if he was on the same ship as our friend Tom Ables who's was also in the Navy during WWII and now up to around 720 San Diego State games.

All in the family - WR Bruce Ellington who hauled in the first TD for SC was playing against his older cousin Andre.  Both from Moncks Corner, SC, Andre racked up 164 yards running, receiving, and returning kickoffs including a  55-yarder.

The 13-hour trek each way convinced me to hold off on plans to attend the Belk Bowl in Charlotte this year during Bowl week.  I think one year in the near future, we'll fly to that and then continue down to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and maybe to another game in Florida.  I'm hoping Lehigh wins next week to get a game in Virginia or North Carolina if they don't get a  home game.  Besides, I'm already disappointed that I'll see another undeserving Big East team play in  a BCS game I'll be attending for the second year in a row!  Going to nearby Yankee Stadium will be easy enough, but why put in the time, miles and money for another one of those sorry teams?