Clemson Has All the Pieces to Win a National Title

For the second consecutive game the Gamecocks had five players in double-figures and shot 50 percent or better from the field. As South Carolina marched down the field on their second drive, Perry Orth’s pass intended for Jerell Adams was picked off by Adrian Baker inside the Clemson 5-yard line and returned six yards.

On the Tigers next possession, Watson lofted a picture flawless arc to freshman Deon Cain for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Watson stood with his arm in the air hold up No. 1 as Cain brought in the pass and finished the long scoring play. Clemson gained 515 total yards, but three fumbles kept this game close.

It’s rivalry week – and in the state of SC, perhaps nobody is more excited than Clemson Tigers fans as they watch their squad sit atop the College Football Rankings yet again in this week’s edition.

The Tigers visit the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday afternoon and are now offered as 17.5-point road favorites. Of course, Deshaun Watson had a great deal to do with that, running one in from a few yards out and even capping it all off with a little flip. Clemson Tigers scored 21.4 points compared to allowed 27.4 points with point differential of -6.0. The only other year Clemson won 12 games was 1981 when the Tigers were 12-0 in winning the National Championship.

This was the Tigers first win at Williams-Brice Stadium since 2007 and just the third victory in eight tries for Swinney against the Gamecocks.

Granted, this was a “rivalry game”, a matchup emotional enough that Tigers coach Dabo Swinney calls it a season unto itself.

Swinney said his team has overcome problems throughout the season and succeeded, tying the program’s record streak of 15 straight wins by defeating the Gamecocks. Can they dig deep and play one more game for their teammates, school and themselves with the deck completely stacked against them? The same could be true of Watson’s place among the top three Heisman Trophy candidates.

Clemson will now turn their attention to North Carolina for the ACC Championship Game. On the one hand, the Tigers wrap up the regular season undefeated with a second straight win against rival SC. He ran 21 times for 114 yards and three TDs. Shon Carson bullied his way in for the 1-yard line and Lorenzo Nunez converted a two-point conversion to pull SC within 28-25. The odds are low but if SC is to have any chance, they need to take advantage of any opportunities that they may come across.

Center Jay Guillermo thinks SC will regroup, saving its best for its final game of the season. North Carolina responded with an 11-play drive, scoring with Hood’s 1-yard run on the third play of the fourth quarter.