South Carolina 31, Clemson 17
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The South Carolina Gamecocks forced six turnovers and continued their recent dominance over the rival Clemson Tigers with a 31-17 victory Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.
It is the first-time in 111 career meetings that the No. 10 Gamecocks have won five games in a row in the series with the Tigers.
The victory also extended South Carolina's home winning streak to 18 games and senior quarterback Connor Shaw finished his career with a perfect 17-0 home record.
The Gamecocks scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after No. 6 Clemson tied the score late in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Roderick McDowell.
Sophomore running back Mike Davis scored on a 2-yard run with 11:47 remaining to give South Carolina (10-2) the lead for good. The short run capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive to consumed 6:14 of the clock.
The Tigers had five turnovers in the contest which led directly to 21 points for South Carolina.
Adam Humphries fumbled a punt that Kwinton Smith recovered at the Clemson 34-yard line. Three plays later, wildcat quarterback Pharoh Cooper hit running back Brandon Wilds on a jump pass for a 26-yard touchdown to seal the win.
Clemson (10-2) had tied the game late in the third quarter with a methodical 15-play, 88-yard drive. South Carolina aided the drive by jumping offside on a fourth-and-1 from the Gamecocks' 30-yard line. Roderick McDowell ran it in from 4 yards out to make it 17-all with 3:01 remaining in the third quarter.
South Carolina turned two Clemson miscues into 14 points. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove to the Gamecocks' 30 before junior safety Brison Williams intercepted a pass on a trick play by Clemson. Junior receiver Sammy Watkins attempted to hit a wide open Adam Humphries but Williams raced over and picked it of in the end zone.
Shaw scored on a 4-yard scamper to cap a 17-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 8:13 of the first-quarter clock.
Clemson responded quickly with a quarterback Tajh Boyd 8-yard run to tie the score.
But after getting a stop on the next South Carolina series, Adam Humphries muffed a punt and Skai Moore recovered for the Gamecocks at the Tigers' 39. Five plays later, Shaw hit sophomore receiver Shaq Roland on a 4-yard fade pass for the score.
Freshman Elliott Fry added a 21-yard field goal to increase the South Carolina lead to 17-7. Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 38-yard field goal for Clemson on the final play of the half to make it 17-10 at the break.
NOTES: Three South Carolina juniors -- DE Jadeveon Clowney, CB Vic Hampton and DT Kelcy Quarles -- took part of Senior Day activities for the Gamecocks. All three are expected to enter the NFL draft. ... The Gamecocks registered four sacks for a negative 44 yards. Last year, they recorded six in a 27-17 win over Clemson. ... Senior Clemson RB Roderick McDowell had 100 total yards in the first half -- 72 rushing and 28 receiving.
