South-Carolina

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: Preview and Prediction

Published

12 months ago

November 30, 2024

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: Preview and Prediction

CLEMSON — The 121^st edition of the Clemson-South Carolina game is already like no other.

This year’s game will have more at stake than bragging rights, as the winner of the game will be in position to earn an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff.

“It’s fun to be a part of it,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said.

The Tigers come into their regular season-finale ranked No. 12 in the latest CFP rankings, while the Gamecocks are ranked No. 15.

Carolina is riding a five-game winning streak coming in, while Clemson has won its last three games.

“I love it. I love being in the fight,” Swinney said. “I love the fact y’all are going to write horrible things about us on Sunday if we stink this up. That’s okay, it comes with it. This is what we signed up for.

“I love the fact, that even if we do not play well, and we find a way to win, we are going to be great. It just comes with it. It is what you sign up for. It’s a rivalry game.”

And it could be the best one yet.

No. 15 South Carolina (8-3) at No. 12 Clemson (9-2)

Kickoff: Saturday, noon

Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

TV: ESPN

Spread: Clemson -2.5

Over/Under: 49

Series: Clemson leads series 73-43-4

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Normally, it’s just bragging rights. However, there is more on the line than bragging rights this season. The winner of the game puts itself in position to make the College Football Playoff. Clemson, which sits at No. 12, needs a win over the Gamecocks, plus someone to lose above them to get in. A win over No. 15 Carolina could also give the Tigers the win they need to jump over No. 10 Indiana in the rankings. The Gamecocks need to beat Clemson and then a loss from Ole Miss, Alabama and someone else in the top 10 to be able to move into the CFP picture.

KEY MATCHUP

This game is going to be won or lost when South Carolina has the football. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is an up-and-coming star in the SEC, as he has improved throughout the season. Running back Rocket Sanders (821 yds, 11 TDs) teams up with Sellers (489, 5 TDs) to give the Gamecocks a strong running game. Clemson has struggled at times to stop the run this season, but the Tigers have held five of their last six FBS opponents to 88 or less yards on the ground. Clemson also ranks 18^th nationally in tackles for loss (77), while Carolina ranks 128^th in TFLs allowed (85).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Carolina tight end Joshua Simon leads the Gamecocks in receptions (31), reception yards (433) and touchdown receptions (6). Clemson will likely deploy a 4-3 scheme to try and slow down Carolina’s strong running game. Though Sammy Brown is a wrecking ball in the run game, and at the line of scrimmage, he can be a liability in pass coverage, so look for the Gamecocks to try and exploit this weakness with Simon in the middle of the field.

Clemson left tackle Tristan Leigh. It’s rare to highlight an offensive tackle in any game, much less a game of this magnitude, especially considering Leigh is questionable for the game. But the Tigers need Leigh to play, so it can sure up some of the holes it has on the O-line due to so many injuries this year. It will allow new offensive line coach Matt Luke to move Harris Sewell back to left guard where he started the Virginia Tech and Pitt games. It will also move Blake Miller back to his natural position at right tackle and Walker Parks back to his usual spot at right guard. In other words, the Tigers will have continuity on the offensive line for the first time since the Louisville game when all the injuries started to pile up. Going against Carolina’s dynamic defensive front, especially defensive ends Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart is going to be a difficult task regardless, but having Leigh back would be huge for the Tigers.

THIS AND THAT

Clemson is entering the South Carolina game having won eight of the last nine games in the series. The Tigers have outscored the Gamecocks by an average of 21.1 points per game in that span.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Clemson’s offense is ranked sixth in the country in total yards (469.9 ypg). South Carolina’s defense is ranked 13 nationally (303.6 yds allowed/game) in total defense. Something has to give, right? Or does it? I like the matchup for Clemson when the Gamecocks have the football. Carolina’s offensive line has a hard time holding blocks and gives up a lot of TFLs and sacks. Sellers also tends to put the ball on the ground at times, as does the offense as a whole. The Gamecocks have fumbled 21 times this year, which ranks 125^th in the country. They have lost 11 of those fumbles, which ranks 126 nationally. The Tigers on the other hand have taken care of the football for the most part, ranking third nationally in turnover margin (+13) and have forced 20 turnovers, which ranks 14^th nationally. I think this will be the difference in the game and help the Tigers earn a second straight win over the Gamecocks.

PREDICTION

Clemson 27, South Carolina 23

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South-Carolina

The ugly numbers behind South Carolina football’s second-half collapse vs Texas A&M

Published

15 hours ago

November 15, 2025

Press Room

The ugly numbers behind South Carolina football’s second-half collapse vs Texas A&M

For one half at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, on Nov. 15, South Carolina football looked unstoppable.

The Gamecocks (3-7, 1-7 SEC) took a 27-point lead over the No. 3 Aggies (10-0, 7-0) into halftime, the largest deficit Texas A&M had faced all season.

Everything had gone right, from Nick Barrett’s scoop-and-score to Nyck Harbor’s 80-yard touchdown reception to LaNorris Sellers’ 183 yards and two touchdown passes.

But the South Carolina team that showed up in the first half was not there for the second half. And the Texas A&M team that came out after halftime is the one that looked like a national championship contender.

Before the Gamecocks knew what happened, the Aggies were walking off their home field with a 31-30 win for the biggest comeback in Texas A&M history.

“I don’t know why we’re going through it,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said. “I don’t know why we’ve had this heartbreak that we’ve had, but we will be better and stronger and hardened because of it as we go into next season.”

South Carolina lived up to preseason ranking for a half

For the first half, the Gamecocks looked like the team that had been ranked No. 13 in the preseason. Sellers performed like a projected first-round NFL Draft pick, dicing up the Aggies’ defense.

The Gamecocks intercepted Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed twice. Dylan Stewart and Barrett combined for a forced fumble and a scoop-and-score touchdown.

“I know the rest of the country was surprised with what was going on in the first half,” Beamer said. “We weren’t.”

But the Aggies looked even better after the break than the Gamecocks did before it.

Texas A&M scored on four consecutive drives in the second half, erasing the 30-3 deficit with 11 minutes to go in the game. Reed played like a Heisman candidate. After 141 first-half passing yards and two interceptions, Reed had 298 passing yards and two touchdowns in the second.

“Give credit to A&M,” Beamer said. “They did what championship teams do.”

South Carolina vs Texas A&M stats comparison

South Carolina outgained Texas A&M 312-132 in the first half, including holding Texas A&M to minus-9 rushing yards. South Carolina gained more yards in the first half than its season average of 294.1, which is the worst in the SEC and 127th nationally.

The offensive line didn’t give up a sack – a big deal for LaNorris Sellers, who has been sacked more than any other quarterback in FBS.

It was the opposite in the second half. The Aggies had 371 yards to the Gamecocks’ 76, tallying four sacks as it held South Carolina scoreless.

The Gamecocks had a chance to set up a field goal on one final drive. After Texas A&M fumbled near the goal line, South Carolina had 3:10 remaining to drive down the field.

After a second-and-1 at the South Carolina 40 yard line, Sellers got sacked twice in a row before scrambling for 7 yards on fourth-and-long, ending South Carolina’s upset hopes.

With their seventh loss, the Gamecocks are eliminated from bowl eligibility for the second time in three years. There are two games still left on the schedule, including the season finale against rival Clemson Nov. 29.

“There’s a lot of guys on this team that love being a Gamecock,” Beamer said. “There’s a lot of guys on this team and in this program that hurt like hell right now about what we’re going through, but there’s a lot of guys who have great grit and resolve to get this right.”

Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @EvanGerike.

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South-Carolina

How to Watch Texas A&M vs. South Carolina: Time, TV Channel, Live Stream – November 15, 2025

Published

1 day ago

November 15, 2025

Press Room

Data Skrive

The South Carolina Gamecocks (3-6) are in action on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET at Kyle Field against Marcel Reed and the Texas A&M Aggies (9-0). Interested in watching the game featuring the Aggies and Gamecocks? You can do so on ESPN.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports. Learn more about the Texas A&M Aggies and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

How to Watch Texas A&M vs. South Carolina

When: Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 12 p.m. ET
Location: Kyle Field in College Station, Texas
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Box Score: FOX Sports

Texas A&M vs. South Carolina: Head to Head

South Carolina has defeated Texas A&M two times in the past three matchups.
The Gamecocks have covered three times in those games, with the teams eclipsing the total on two occasions.
Texas A&M has put up 17 fewer points than South Carolina in their past three games.

Texas A&M’s 2025 Schedule

Texas A&M 2025 Stats & Insights

Texas A&M has been firing on all cylinders this season, ranking 17th-best in total offense (459.8 yards per game) and 24th-best in total defense (317.3 yards allowed per game).
Texas A&M ranks 41st in pass offense (254.9 passing yards per game) and 31st in pass defense (189.0 passing yards allowed per game) this season.
The Aggies rank 59th in scoring defense this year (22.9 points allowed per game), but they’ve been thriving on the offensive side of the ball, ranking 12th-best in the FBS with 37.8 points per game.
On offense, the Aggies have been a top-25 unit in terms of rushing yards, ranking 20th-best in the FBS by compiling 204.9 per game. They rank 43rd on defense (128.3 rushing yards allowed per game).
Texas A&M sports the 46th-ranked offense this season in terms of third-down efficiency (43.1% percentage), and has been more effective defensively, ranking best with a 23.9% third-down percentage allowed.
The Aggies have the 69th-ranked turnover margin in college football at even, forcing eight turnovers (109th in the FBS) while turning it over eight times (14th in the FBS).

Texas A&M 2025 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
Marcel Reed	QB	2,193 YDS (62.3%) / 19 TD / 6 INT 378 RUSH YDS / 6 RUSH TD / 42.0 RUSH YPG
Kevin Concepcion	WR	40 REC / 629 YDS / 8 TD / 69.9 YPG
Mario Craver	WR	45 REC / 769 YDS / 4 TD / 85.4 YPG
Rueben Owens	RB	542 YDS / 5 TD / 60.2 YPG / 6.0 YPC 8 REC / 92 REC YDS / 0 REC TD / 13.1 REC YPG
Cashius Howell	DL	19 TKL / 10.0 TFL / 11.5 SACK
Daymion Sanford	LB	28 TKL / 6.0 TFL / 3.5 SACK / 1 INT
Dalton Brooks	DB	33 TKL / 3.0 TFL / 1.0 SACK
Taurean York	LB	40 TKL / 3.0 TFL / 1.0 SACK

South Carolina’s 2025 Schedule

South Carolina 2025 Stats & Insights

South Carolina has been sputtering offensively, ranking eighth-worst with 294.1 total yards per game. It has been more effective defensively, surrendering 344.2 total yards per contest (47th-ranked).
With 193.3 passing yards per game on offense, South Carolina ranks 104th in the FBS. Defensively, it ranks 33rd, giving up 190.6 passing yards per contest.
The Gamecocks have not been getting things done offensively, ranking 16th-worst in the FBS with 19.7 points per game. They have been more effective on the other side of the ball, allowing 22.1 points per contest (49th-ranked).
The Gamecocks rank ninth-worst in rushing yards per game (100.8), but they’ve been more effective on the defensive side of the ball, ranking 82nd in the FBS with 153.7 rushing yards surrendered per contest.
South Carolina’s third-down offense has been a bottom-25 unit this season, registering a 32.5% third-down rate, which ranks 15th-worst in the FBS. Defensively, it ranks 104th with a 42.1% third-down rate allowed.
The Gamecocks sport a +3 turnover margin this season, which ranks 37th in the FBS.

South Carolina 2025 Key Players

Name	Position	Stats
LaNorris Sellers	QB	1,536 YDS (61.7%) / 7 TD / 5 INT 158 RUSH YDS / 3 RUSH TD / 17.6 RUSH YPG
Nyck Harbor	WR	21 REC / 401 YDS / 4 TD / 44.6 YPG
Rahsul Faison	RB	350 YDS / 3 TD / 38.9 YPG / 4.3 YPC 18 REC / 106 REC YDS / 0 REC TD / 13.3 REC YPG
Vandrevius Jacobs	WR	21 REC / 343 YDS / 2 TD / 42.9 YPG
Bryan Thomas Jr.	DL	26 TKL / 6.0 TFL / 5.0 SACK
Dylan Stewart	DL	29 TKL / 10.0 TFL / 4.0 SACK
DQ Smith	DB	49 TKL / 1.0 TFL / 1 INT / 1 PD
Fred Johnson	LB	38 TKL / 4.0 TFL / 1.0 SACK / 1 INT

FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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South-Carolina

SC Rep. James Clyburn votes against spending plan for lack of healthcare tax credits

Published

2 days ago

November 14, 2025

Press Room

SC Rep. James Clyburn votes against spending plan for lack of healthcare tax credits

The federal government shutdown ended after President Trump signed a temporary spending plan.
South Carolina’s Republican House members voted for the plan, while the state’s lone Democrat voted against it.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s Charleston office now has a full-time federal security detail due to threats.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined other states in supporting a Louisiana law to display the Ten Commandments in schools.

The federal government shutdown ended late on Nov. 12 after President Donald Trump signed a temporary spending plan.

All of South Carolina’s Republican delegation in the House of Representatives voted in favor of the spending plan when it came before their chamber.

This week’s About Politics examines South Carolina representative’s response to the government shutdown, one congresswoman’s increased security push, and why one political candidate says he is running against Lindsey Graham.

House members on government shutdown

The U.S. government is back open after 43 days of shutdown. President Trump signed a temporary spending plan into place late at night on Nov. 12, meaning that furloughed employees will be back at work and crucial government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be funded.

The temporary spending plan passed the House in a 222 to 209 vote. All six of South Carolina’s Republican House members voted for the bill. The lone Democrat, 6th-District Rep. James Clyburn, voted against the policy.

Clyburn said on X that he opposes the bill because it fails to extend Obamacare tax credits that have kept healthcare costs down for millions of Americans.

“As a result of this bill, Americans will continue to experience painful sticker shock when they see their new healthcare premiums,” Clyburn said. “The end of this shutdown does not mean the end of Democrats’ fight to ensure that health care in this country is accessible and affordable for all.”

South Carolina’s Republican House members commended the end to the shutdown, while pointing a finger at their Democratic peers for holding out on a spending plan.

U.S. Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-District 3, wrote on X that she spent the weeks of the shutdown traveling across her district and connecting with people who were impacted.

“While Democrats were playing political games at risk of American families, we remained focused on doing right for our people and rejecting their radical demands,” Biggs wrote. “Now, it’s time to move forward, and get back to work for South Carolina and continuing in our America First agenda.”

U.S. Rep. Timmons writes op-ed on impacts of shutdown on veterans

U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-District 4, wrote an op-ed for The Washington Reporter on Nov. 11 about the impacts that the government shutdown was having on veterans and their families. He said that the shutdown caused delays in career counseling, job trainings and adaptive employment support for veterans. The congressman also pointed to weeks of delays for new disability claims and limited communication from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“These are not just statistics,” Timmons wrote. “They are real people who have served our country and are trying to move forward in civilian life. Every day that services were delayed made reintegration harder for them and their families.”

He said that some Senate Democrats’ decision to switch their votes in support of a spending plan “cannot come soon enough.”

Nancy Mace gets federal security at Lowcountry office

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s office in Charleston now has a full time security detail, according to her staff. The Republican congresswoman who represents South Carolina’s 1st District claims to receive over 1,300 credible threats every year.

U.S. Capitol Police worked with the Charleston Police Department after an incident with the congresswoman’s security detail at the Charleston International Airport in late October, according to her office. The dispute between Mace and the airport started after a mixup involving Mace’s arrival at the airport and the security detail that was supposed to escort her through the facility.

Mace said in a statement that she is grateful for both departments’ work to provide security at the office.

“Unfortunately, it took an airport falsifying police reports and retaliating against a Member of Congress to wake everyone up to the reality of the threats we face daily,” Mace stated.

Alan Wilson supports posting Ten Commandments in classrooms

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and 17 other state attorneys general signed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a Louisiana law requiring a display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. The brief was filed after an appeals court deemed the law unconstitutional.

Kentucky, Idaho, Mississippi and Utah were among other state attorneys general who signed onto the brief. The group of attorneys general argued that acknowledgements of how the Ten Commandments influenced America’s heritage are common. The commandments displayed in the U.S. Supreme Court building is a representation of their impact on the legal system, the brief stated.

“Our society is healthier and stronger when we have more religion in public life — not less,” Wilson said. “It is time to end the left’s war on religion.”

Paul Dans speaks with Tucker Carlson on Senate race

Author of Project 2025 and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Paul Dans spoke to conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson on his bid against Incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham. Tucker introduced Dans and said he is grateful for Dans running “not as a protest candidate,” but as someone who has been involved in policy making.

“My motives are not personal. I’ve always liked Lindsey Graham, but I think he’s very obviously evil and if he is the face of the Republican Party, normal people can’t support it including me,” Carlson said.

Dans said he is running to make sure that the Make America Great Again (MAGA) and America Firm movements survive beyond Trump’s presidency. The candidate said his primary values as a candidate are god, family and country.

“I cannot sit back and watch someone like Lindsey Graham represent our state,” Dans said.

Greenville businessman Mark Lynch is also running in the Republican Senate primary. There are five Democrats in the primary: Charleston pediatrician Dr. Annie Andrews, Greenville business owner Brandon Brown, Columbia preservationist Catherine Fleming Bruce, Columbia logistics professional Kyle Freeman and Myrtle Beach resident Christopher Giracello.

The independent candidates are Jack Ellison of Charleston, Cindy Glaser of Fountain Inn and Paul Sedletsky of North Myrtle Beach. Kasie Whitener, a businessowner and writer residing in Blythewood, is also running as a Libertarian.

Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com

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