| USC entered this game having dropped four in a row to Clemson, but Ryan Succop's 35 yard field goal with just under eight minutes left completed a comeback from 14 points down and gave Carolina a 31-28 win. Things started poorly for USC, as their first drive ended with Blake Mitchell being picked off by C.J. Gaddis and then Tiger QB Will Proctor hooked up with Jacoby Ford on a 76-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-0. USC countered with a 64 yard scoring drive, highlighted by Cory Boyd rushes of 12 and 18 yards, setting up a 1-yard scoring run by Blake Mitchell to tie the game. Clemson's C.J. Spiller returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and the Tigers were right back on top, 14-7. On their first possession of the second quarter the Gamecocks tied the game. Starting inside their own 20, USC moved the ball out quickly with a 27-yard pass from Mitchell to Noah Whiteside and a 20-yard run by Boyd. The drive would roll on for another six plays and 58 yards before Boyd scored with a one yard run. After a Clemson punt USC took over at its own 13 with just under six minutes left. Carolina mounted a great drive and it looked like USC would at least get 3 points after a Mitchell scramble got the ball down to the Tiger eight, but instead a Mitchell pass was intercepted by Tiger DE Jock McKissick, who would go 82 yards for a touchdown and a 21-14 lead. The third quarter started with a 31-yard touchdown run by Spiller and suddenly Carolina was down 28-14. The Gamecocks immediately chipped away at that lead, starting with a 68 yard scoring drive. Mitchell hit back to back 18 yard passes to Sidney Rice and Mike Davis to get the Clemson one, and then finished off the drive with a one yard run by Davis. On the second play after the ensuing kickoff safety Emanuel Cook forced a fumble by Clemson TE Thomas Hunter and Jordin Lindsey recovered it for USC at the Tiger 34. Mitchell rushed for nine but got dinged up as he went down. Backup quarterback Tommy Beecher came in and hit Kenny McKinley for 16 yards then Davis finished the drive with a nine yard touchdown run to tie the game at 28. Clemson opened the fourth quarter with the ball, but Stoney Woodson stopped Spiller for a loss of 2 on first down and Eric Norwood sacked Proctor for a ten yard loss on third down to force a punt. Carolina started at their own 30 with just over twelve minutes left in the game. Mitchell hit McKinley for seven, then Davis picked up nine on the ground. A 13-yard pass from Mitchell to Rice and a 17-yard run by Boyd helped move the ball to the Tiger 26, but Mitchell finally cooled off and his next three passes were incomplete. Succop came on to hit his go ahead field goal to go up 31-28. Clemson started the ensuing possession at their own 20, and ground the ball down to the USC 12 over fourteen plays. With time getting low the Tigers faced a 3rd and 9 from the USC 12 but Syvelle Newton and Jasper Brinkley sacked Proctor for a 10-yard loss. Clemson rushed the field goal team onto the field with 13 seconds left and a chance to tie, but Jad Dean's 39-yarder was wide left and Carolina left with the win.; |