No one would have believed that South Carolina football was just 5-6 if they had seen the environment inside Williams-Brice Stadium prior to kickoff against the rival Clemson Tigers.
In almost the most disastrous start imaginable, the Gamecocks were down 7-0 after two turnovers on the game’s first three plays. After a successful 18-yard strike on the game’s opening down, Xavier Legette dropped a backward pass in the flat, and Clemson’s Khalil Barnes returned it for a score. On the next play, Spencer Rattler put too much air on a deep ball, and Barnes came down with an interception.
The Gamecock defense responded, however, holding the Tigers to just two field goals the rest of the way. Unfortunately for the South Carolina football fans in attendance, the offense struggled (including the offensive play calling), and the Gamecocks could only manage one score in the 1st half.
Heading into halftime, the score stood 13-7, and neither team could get anything to work on offense, especially through the air.
After the intermission, Dabo Swinney’s team picked up another field goal to extend their lead to 16-7 as the 2nd half looked very similar to the 1st for the Gamecock offense. South Carolina could not answer Clemson as Dowell Loggains had a tough day calling plays, and the USC offensive line was overmatched.
For the game, the anemic South Carolina football offense was limited to just 169 yards, including just 1 yard combined in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. That simply is not enough to win a big-time college football game, and despite a solid defensive effort, the Gamecocks fell by a score of 16-7.
At 5-7, USC’s season likely is over, but there is a chance they could sneak their way into a low-tier bowl game.
South Carolina football fans eagerly await the fate of their favorite team and whichever (if any) coaching personnel changes head coach Shane Beamer elects to make this offseason.