Re: My favorite back to back plays in Clemson history.

G to G

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May 26, 2019, 2:28 PM

Mine just because it's USCjr and how lucky they were on a fumble into the end zone and to even be ahead with 59 seconds to play. Even the play before that a PI call on Clemson in the end zone when the ball was clearly 10 yards over everyone's head and out of the end zone. There never should have been a flag on the play. That gave USCjr the ball at the 2 and the rest is history. USCjr fans hooping and shouting as if they won the super bowl and then, the final 59 seconds.

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Woody to Gardner pass down the 8 yards line
Next play Hunt kicks the winning FG and that was as loud for about 15 seconds as I've every heard DV.

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It appeared South Carolina had did the unthinkable and beat the Tigers when tight end Tommy Hill fell on a Derek Watson fumble in the Clemson end zone with 59 second left. The recovery gave the Gamecocks a 14-13 lead and left the few thousands jubilant USC supporters in the stands cheering while the rest of the stadium stood shocked at what they had just seen.

But Hill's fumble recovery was the beginning of the jaw-dropping moments.

"I knew I had to make a play to win the game," Gardner told The State newspaper after the game. "We didn't want to lose the last game like that." Clemson took the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball out to its own 42-yard line when it called a timeout with 19 seconds left and facing a third down-and-12. When the Tigers came out of the timeout, Dantzler rolled to his left and then threw deep to Gardner, who was running a go route down the right sideline.

South Carolina had cornerback Andre Goodman trailing Gardner underneath and safety Deandre Eiland over the top. But Dantzler's roll to his left brought Eiland up just enough to where it came down to Goodman with single coverage on Gardner.

As the ball approached the two, both tussled with each other until Gardner extended his left arm to create separation from Goodman just before leaping up to ###### the Dantzler aerial and falling backwards at the USC 8-yard line.

"It was in slow motion," Gardner said. "I wasn't even thinking about the defender. I just knew I had to make a play. And when it dropped in my hands, oh man."

It was the second straight year the 6-foot-3 wide receiver broke the hearts of the Gamecocks. In 1999, he snatched a 29-yard touchdown pass on fourth down late to seal a 31-21 Clemson victory. "I was looking for one-on-one (coverage)," Gardner said. "I didn't touch him. I was playing the ball."

Goodman had a different view.

"I looked at the ref and I knew he was going to pull the flag," he said. "He looked at me and smiled. I said, ‘You had to see that.' He just smiled and shook his head.

"That rule is so funny. Sometimes it's called and sometimes it isn't."

And it wasn't as Hunt's field goal lifted the Tigers to its fourth straight victory over the Gamecocks and started a debate that still lives on today.

"I'm still trying to figure out what happened," Dantzler said.

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My favorite back to back plays in Clemson history.

I'm a pretty big fan of this past Natty, 1st QT

That's what I'm thinking!!***