South Carolina travels to Clemson for a monster regular-season finale in Death Valley with major conference championship and College Football Playoff implications. The Tigers are 2.5-point favorites, per FanDuel, as the program looks to avenge its 2022 home loss to the Gamecocks. Clemson247‘s Austin Hannon analyzed key players and matchups, offering his predictions ahead of the ranked showdown.
Clemson holds a 73-43-4 edge on the all-time series and has won eight of the last nine over its in-state rival, dating back to 2014. It’s the first time the two have faced off as ranked opponents since 2013, when No. 10 South Carolina smashed No. 6 Clemson 31-17 in Columbia. The Gamecocks hold an edge over the Tigers when both teams are ranked, winning five of the past six.
Clemson’s offensive line against South Carolina’s vaunted pass rush is a key matchup, according to Hannon. The Tigers are nursing injuries at left guard, while the Gamecocks boast one of that nation’s top pair of edge rushers and rank No. 4 in the nation in sacks per game (3.5.).
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Below is Hannon’s insider analysis for the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry clash in Week 14:
