Clemson Tigers vs South Carolina Gamecocks Football Recap

South Carolina 29, Clemson 7

A lot of pigskin pundits felt that in a series marked by upside-down occurrences, the South Carolina Gamecocks were supremely vulnerable on the road against their archrivals, the Clemson Tigers.

The experts didn't need to worry so much in the end, however. In the Palmetto State's annual passion play, the team headed for a conference championship game did not look ahead to the following week. Attention to detail - and an inept opponent - made sure that the favored team won this game in 2010.

Last year, Clemson was the team looking forward to a date in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech, but on the road to Tampa, the Tigers got ambushed at South Carolina in a game they weren't expected to lose. This year, Cocky was the team heading to a title tilt in the Southeastern Conference against Auburn. Clemson was the 6-5 team hoping to spring a surprise on its home field.

It didn't happen.

In South Carolina’s greatest season since joining the SEC, the Gamecocks have also established themselves as the top program in South Carolina beating their rival for the second straight year, this time in Death Valley.  With the exception of Clemson’s opening drive, South Carolina controlled the pace and the tempo throughout. 

Meanwhile, Clemson, a team that always seems to be teeming with talent and speed, ended yet another season on a down note.  It must be difficult for Tigers fans to see their team go from the fast, talented, hard-hitting team that took Auburn to overtime on the road to open the season to the team that could do nothing to slow or stop South Carolina on either side of the ball.

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The Tigers’ faithful were energized and Memorial Stadium was rocking when DeAndre Hopkins sprinted toward the end zone and Kyle Parker split two defenders on a 45 yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead.  After that play, it was all Gamecocks for the rest of the game.  Realistically, the turning point came in the first quarter. 

After holding the Gamecocks to a field goal on their first possession, and forcing a three and out on their second possession, the Tigers gift-wrapped the Gamecocks a touchdown with a botched punt snap.  South Carolina recovered the fumble on the five yard line and quarterback Stephen Garcia hit Patrick DiMarco with a five yard touchdown pass.  After missing the point-after, South Carolina led 9-7 and would not look back.  When Garcia and star wide receiver hooked up for a 37 yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to go up 16-7, the game was over for all intents and purposes since Clemson could not move the ball on the stout South Carolina defense.

Clemson’s defense actually managed to control the Gamecocks’ offense.  Clemson held super-frosh running back Marcus Lattimore to 48 yards on 23 carries.  The 2.1 yards per carry was his lowest per-carry output of the season.  Likewise, the Clemson defense held Garcia to his lowest completion percentage on the season, at 14 of 30 for 227 yards.  At 322 total yards and only 95 rushing yards, Clemson held South Carolina to very low offensive outputs in both categories.  But South Carolina’s defense was even better.

Clemson produced only 251 yards of offense, and only 61 on the ground.  Kyle Parker was held to 17 of 35 for 190 yards and threw a crucial pick 6 early in the second half to give South Carolina a commanding 26-7 lead.  Head coach Dabo Swinney replaced Parker with freshman backup Tajh Boyd after that play, a sign of surrender and a fitting conclusion to the regular season for the Tigers.

Clemson finished the season 6-6 overall.  South Carolina, by virtue of winning the SEC East, will play Auburn in the SEC Championship game next week. If South Carolina wins the SEC Championship, they will play in the Sugar Bowl against an at-large BCS opponent.  

Now, the Gamecocks can indeed look ahead to that game. They took care of business against Clemson.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer