Gameday forecast for Clemson
Rivalry games are tough to call most years, anyway.
But throw in a midseason coaching change and an interim coach possibly playing for his job and who knows what you’ll see?
The odds-makers installed Clemson as a 1-point favorite when the betting lines opened this week. And though some fans in Columbia were a little surprised to see the Gamecocks as an underdog, Vegas must have been looking at this series’ recent history.
The last three Palmetto Bowls have been decided by four points or fewer, with the margin decreasing each year: 4 points in 2005 (Clemson 13-9), 3 points in ’06 (USC 31-28) and 2 points last year (Clemson 23-21).
A couple of the key storylines Saturday at Death Valley:
-How will the Gamecocks’ defense bounce back after a 50-point loss at Florida against a Clemson offense that has nearly as much speed as the Gators?
USC’s defense played well early against the Gators, then seemed to get the starch taken out of its shirt when the Gamecocks’ offense/special teams handed Florida three turnovers and a 21-0 lead.
And say what you will about Dabo Swinney’s hokey musings (stressed spelled backward is desserts, et al), at least Dabo has had the good sense to get the ball in the hands of the Tigers’ best playmakers.
C.J. Spiller is averaging 18 touches (and 9 yards a touch) over the past four games. The junior has 12 plays of 50 yards or longer, most in school history, and something tells me he might add to that total Saturday on a kickoff return.
But USC’s defense is not going to make a habit of giving up 500-plus yards. Look for the Goon Squad to get to Cullen Harper a few times and keep USC in the game.
-So then the question becomes, can Steve Spurrier and Son to find enough offense for the Gamecocks to win?
For all the talk this week about Chris Smelley’s first start vs. the Tigers, Stephen Garcia’s stomach bug and so on, there was little or no mention of the Gamecocks’ offensive line.
No doubt, the key to USC’s success will be Smelley making smart decisions and not throwing off his back foot into the waiting arms of Clemson defenders. But it’s easier to make those decisions and avoid those throws when there are no 300-pound-plus defensive linemen barreling toward you.
The Tigers are without their top pass-rusher, but were not exactly reminding anyone of the Jets’ famed New York Sack Exchange even when Ricky Sapp was in the lineup.
Getting Jamon Meredith back at guard gives the Gamecocks their best combination up front, and it’s this unit that will decide things Saturday.
If the line gives Smelley time to throw and creates enough push that USC can at least have some sort of a running game (the latter is definitely the bigger ‘if’), the Gamecocks get their eighth win.
If Smelley is pressured into a couple, three turnovers, USC will have to try to back into the Outback Bowl after losing its last two games.
Prediction: The Gamecocks stop the Sapp-less Tigers by the skinniest of margins.
USC 24, Clemson 23.
21 Comments to “Gameday forecast for Clemson”
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USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
nah. clemson wins this one by a bunch.
41-10 tigers.
usc has no offense and clemsons defense is sick. the games over before it even begins.
clemsons offense only scored 13 points vs. virginia.
Florida may have put scored 35 points against USC’s D (the first three TDs were really scored against the offense and special teams), but the Gators have one of the best offenses in the country
USC’s D is still ranked #11 in the country. Clemson is #16 and Virginia is #39!
and Clemson and VA haven’t had to face a real offense due to their ACC schedules.
Clemson’s offense might have some speed, but they don’t compare to florida and their line is worse than USC’s
the Goon Squad shuts them out and Smelley does OK.
USC 21, Clemson 0
USC will win by 10. Up until the Florida game, USC’s offense, while struggling, was putting up decent numbers. Saying we will only score 10 against Clemson when USC put up 31 against Ole Miss, 24 against Kentucky, 27 against Tenn, and 31 against Arkansas is not living in reality. Clemson is definitely NOT a better team than Ole Miss or Arkansas, plus you have to contend with our stout defense.
USC 27-Clemson-17
I think USC wins but ONLY if we also win the turnover margin. Please, Carolina, don’t make dumb plays on the offense that puts added pressure on our D. Play smart and we win!
USC 22 Clemson 21. Anybody remember this score?
Daniel……Daniel….WAKE UP! You were having a dream.
The clemmers managed 13 points (10 given by the UVA offense) last week agaisnt the 9th ranked defense in the ACC, so where are these 41 points going to come from?
daniel, 41-10? your 6-5 acc team with 2 division 2 wins will not manage 41 points on usc.
i would love for my gamecocks to put a whipping on clemson…the best team we bave seen was florida and clemson isn’t florida…in the end i will take a win even if its a 1 point lead….
GOOO COCKS!!!
Special guest on the Joe and Seth show…”Tater Picker”. And Daniel, 41??? Drugs are BAD M’kay??? 34-14 Carolina. A few sweet FG’s by Succop, and offense sparks on a damp day @ Pickens County Tech.
Clemson gets big plays and wins. 24-17
Are you USuC fans kidding ! We’ve won 9 of the last 11 ! I don’t care about stats or records ya’ll are coming to DEATH VALLEY ! Ya’ll have a mentality of losing to us and it’s not gonna change saturday ! We may not be florida but WE DO have athletes ! CLEMSON 27 USuC 14. GO TIGERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The USC offense comes of age while the defense recovers. USC 28-10
Hey for those of you who have forgotten USC’s defense is top notch and we are battle tested in the SEC. Here’s hoping we gets some turnovers and the defense helps run up the score.
USC 27, CLEMSON 17.
What planet are y’all on? Neither one of these teams is going to score more than 20.
Clemson wins 13-9.
Actually speaking of stats in Death valley, if I’m not mistaken, we’re 2-3 points away from having a better record points put up IN death valley. We do better in your pitiful stadium. Nothing bodes well for you.
The quarterback play will be the difference.Hope Smelly don`t throw any floaters,if he does we are in trouble.But win or lose we can look forward to next year and the battle of the quartebacks.
firestevespurrier.com Lets get it started. Steve Spurrier had two weeks to prepare for this game. What a loser. He should be run out of town. I think USC shoud decline any bowl bid. Bowls are for winners only. This team s#x.
Thanks for the laughs, Gamecock fans – as usual. Now, back to reality you’ve replaced Vanderbilt as the doormat of the SEC.
i wish i had read this blog and comments yesterday… seems like daniel is still interpreting dreams for the “king”… LOL so tell us daniel, how many more years of famine will there be in spurrier land??
CLEMSON 31
S. CAROLINA 14
and it wasn’t even close…
USC just sucks. Their fans suck, nothing but red necks. What really makes me laugh: their most back woods followers like to say that Clemson is all hill-billies. Get a life losers, go back to Nascar and your six packs of Pabst!
enjoy the games, the sport but Tigers and Gamecocks alike- stop the hate.
I love Clemson, Clemson football but as a Palmetto state native( Columbia ) it’s depressing to see bickering, bitterness between the fans.
Very nice NY Jets information. I hope to be in NYC for a game this fall.