Clemson Snaps Streak, Beats Carolina 35-17

For the first time in six years, Clemson has bragging rights in the state of South Carolina. Deshaun Watson returned from an injured knee and sparked a big day by Tiger freshmen to help Clemson beat Carolina 35-17. The Tigers finish the regular season with a 9-3 record. The Gamecocks were 6-6. Watson threw for 269 yards. Wayne Gallman ran for 191 yards, and Artavis Scott had 185 yards receiving. That’s the first time in school history Clemson had a quarterback throw for more than 250 yards while a running back and receiver had more than 180 yards in the same game. Watson, Scott and Gallman are all freshmen. Watson’s quarterback sneak with 2:35 left in the 4th quarter capped off the scoring. The Gamecocks had cut the Clemson lead to 31-17 with a Dylan Thompson to Damiere Byrd 12-yard TD pass with 7:49 left in the game. Scott extended a 21-10 Clemson halftime lead with a 70-yard TD on a short scoop pass from Watson with 4:30 left in 3rd quarter. Watson’s 1-yard quarterback sneak put Clemson up 21-7 with 4:55 left in the 2nd quarter. Watson, playing for the first time since spraining his knee two weeks ago against Georgia Tech, sparked the Tigers to a good start. Watson left the game in the second quarter and limped to the locker room. Cole Stoudt replaced him and promptly threw his 10th interception of the season. Skai Moore’s pick led to a 47-yard field goal by Elliott Fry that tied his career long. Clemson took a 21-10 lead in halftime. Clemson took the lead in the 2nd quarter. Vic Beasley forced a Dylan Thompson fumble, the first turnover in the game. The Tiger offense took advantage and turned it into a quick 7 points off a Wayne Gallman 5-yard TD run. It was the first points off turnover for Clemson in six years in the series. USC led the turnover margin 15-3 in the last five years. Carolina scored 62 points off those turnovers in that span. Clemson had zero. Pharoh Cooper started the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat formation. Cooper came into the game nursing bruised ribs. He was untouched on the run that gave the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead with 3:41 left in the first quarter. Clemson answered a little more than a minute later. Watson, who left the game for one play after landing awkwardly after a throw on Clemson’s opening drive, returned to the game on the next drive. Scott turned a Watson short scoop pass into a 53-yard touchdown to tie the game up at 7 with 2:26 left in the first quarter.