Quick Thoughts: Plenty of blame to go around as Tigers fall short

South Carolina's defense bottled up Clemson's offense most of the second half.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Saturday, November 30 2024

CLEMSON – There is plenty of blame to go around following South Carolina’s rivalry win Saturday.

Many on social media were blaming the defense as the final seconds ticked off the clock in the Gamecocks’ 17-14 victory, and with good reason. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:08 remaining as he constantly ran over and through defenders on his way to the score.

It was a theme we saw all afternoon – Sellers would find himself trapped in the backfield but somehow escape with big play after big play. In all, the Gamecocks rushed for 267 yards on the Clemson defense, which gave up 6.4 yards per rush.

South Carolina had nine rushing plays that gained 10 yards or more, and Sellers himself had runs of 38, 25, 14, 13, 27, 27, and 20. That’s 163 yards on just seven carries.

The defense forced three turnovers and did enough good in the game that if the offense had followed through on its own opportunities, the outcome might have been different.

And there’s the other shoe. The offense is just as culpable in this one, as it has been against good defenses this season. Not that there weren’t opportunities – quarterback Cade Klubnik missed what looked like easy throws that would have gone for long gains or even scores. The playcalling – after the Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored a touchdown – was conservative.

Running back Phil Mafah put together a gritty effort with 20 carries for 66 yards, but once again didn’t look healthy. The outside runs had no chance and the coaches didn’t deem to give a faster, or healthier, back a carry other than Jay Haynes’ two runs for 11 yards.

After Clemson forced an early South Carolina turnover, the offense gained a quick first down, but that was it, and it punted. Avieon Terrell stripped Rocket Sanders of the ball in the third quarter, and Clemson appeared to have all the momentum. The Tigers moved to the South Carolina 32 in just four plays, but then what looked like an attempted reverse turned into a Clemson turnover.

South Carolina gained momentum on a fourth quarter drive and appeared to be going in for a score when Sellers was intercepted by Khalil Barnes. The Tigers barely took a minute off the clock and went three-and-out. Following South Carolina’s late field goal, the Gamecocks attempted an onside kick and Clemson recovered. The offense had a chance to put the game away at that point with the ball on their own 40, but once again failed to run more than a minute off the clock with another three-and-out.

Special teams didn’t play a major role, but the Gamecocks won the field position battle with punter Kai Kroger averaging 46.6 yards per punt, while Clemson’s Aidan Swanson averaged just 37.7 yards per punt.

Offense. Defense. Special Teams. Coaching. Plenty of blame to go around. The Tigers might feel like they were the better team and Sellers was the better player, but good teams can’t play like that and expect to win.

What happens next? Unless Syracuse pulls off a miracle, a likely date in the Pop-Tarts Bowl or Holiday Bowl.