Football . November 27, 2021

Clemson Wins 30-0 Over South Carolina

by By PETE IACOBELLI | AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Will Shipley ran for 128 yards and a touchdown and Clemson’s defense smothered South Carolina for its seventh-straight win in the Palmetto State rivalry 30-0 on Saturday night.

The Tigers (9-3; No. 23 CFP) won their fifth straight this season and matched the longest win streak in the series that they set from 1934-40.

Clemson’s defense limited South Carolina (6-6) to 206 yards, its second lowest output this season. It was the Tigers’ first rivalry shutout since a 45-0 win in 1989 and its first time holding an opponent scoreless since a 49-0 win over The Citadel in 2020.

The Tigers outrushed the Gamecocks 265 to 43. ”There’s nothing more demoralizing than to have the ball run on you,” Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said.

The lone drama at the end was whether South Carolina could put points on the board. With five seconds left, quarterback Zeb Noland ran 12 yards to the Clemson 3 before getting tackled by Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Clemson’s bench jumped from the sidelines to celebrate the shutout and the landmark win in a game that’s the most anticipated sporting event in South Carolina each year.

”I want to apologize to our fans for that performance,” first-year South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said after the program was shutout for the first time since a 28-0 loss to Virginia in the Belk Bowl three seasons ago. ”It starts with me as head coach.”

Shipley went past 100 yards for a second straight game and third time this season, the most by a Tigers freshman since his position coach, C.J. Spiller, had five such games in 2006.

Clemson had seen its chance at a seventh straight appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game end with No. 24 North Carolina State’s win over North Carolina on Friday night. The Tigers made sure they wouldn’t lose their grip on the state against the Gamecocks.

D.J. Uiagalelei ran for 22 yards on third down to keep the Tigers’ first drive going before Shipley broke free for a 29-yard touchdown run.

In the second quarter up 10-0, Clemson again called on its revived rushing attack – the Tigers ran for a season-best 333 yards a week ago in a 48-27 win over No. 21 Wake Forest – to wear down South Carolina.

Kobe Pace shot through the line for a twisting, 34-yard run to the end zone to extend the lead.

Uiagalelei struggled passing against South Carolina’s defense as he went 9 of 19 for 99 yards with an interception. It was Uiagalelei’s lowest passing output this season.

Clemson’s defense, as it had done much of the year, guaranteed the offensive output would hold up.

South Carolina, which had beaten Florida and Auburn earlier this month, managed just 75 yards in the opening half. Quarterback Jason Brown threw for only 53 yards and was intercepted twice, both by cornerback Andrew Booth Jr.

Brown finished 8-of-19 passing for 67 yards and was replaced by Noland, the grad assistant coach turned quarterback, in the fourth quarter.

GAME CHANGER

Kobe Pace gave Clemson a 17-0 lead with 12:10 left in the first half on a 34-yard touchdown run. It was a seven-play, 79-yard drive that lasted 3:08. Pace had 58 of Clemson’s 265 rushing yards on the night.