South Carolina football upsets No. 8 Clemson, snaps Tigers' seven-game rivalry win streak

CLEMSON — One week after one of the biggest upsets in South Carolina football history, the Gamecocks added another in what many fans consider the most important game of the season. For the first time since 2013, South Carolina beat rival Clemson, ranked No. 8 in the country, 31-30 at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

The Gamecocks (8-4) trailed Clemson (10-2) from the opening kickoff until early in the fourth quarter when they took a one-point lead off of a 35-yard field goal from kicker Mitch Jeter. Clemson then fumbled a punt return with two minutes left in the game and the Gamecocks recovered to seal the victory.

South Carolina’s victory ended the Tigers’ seven-game winning streak in the Palmetto Bowl and prevented a record-breaking eighth consecutive victory. The stunning upset was a far cry from coach Shane Beamer’s first season at the helm in 2021, when the Gamecocks were shut out 30-0 by Clemson at Williams-Brice Stadium.

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Spencer Rattler comes in clutch

It was a chaotic day for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. The Oklahoma transfer was the hero of last week’s stunning upset of then-No. 5 Tennessee, but he had a shaky start with two interceptions in the first half. It was his first game with multiple interceptions since throwing two in Week 5 against South Carolina State. Rattler also gave up a safety in the first half after he was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

However, Rattler looked spectacular on his deep balls, hitting five difference receivers with passes 30 yards or longer. He recorded his longest completion of the season to top receiver Antwane Wells Jr. on a 72-yard touchdown pass at the end of the third quarter. He finished with his second-best passing performance of the season, going 25-of-39 passing for 360 yards and three total touchdowns.

Gamecocks overcome run game struggles

South Carolina entered Saturday's game having won just one game this season — against Georgia State — with less than 100 rushing yards. Early on, it looked like the trend would continue against Clemson. The Tigers' stingy defensive line gave up just 56 yards on the ground, one of the lowest totals of the season for South Carolina.

Starting running backs Marshawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith were both available and played significant snaps against Clemson for the first time in weeks, but neither made an impact. Lloyd finished with 16 yards on 11 carries, and Beal-Smith with two yards on two carries. The team's leading rusher was tight end Jaheim Bell, who gained 29 yards on nine carries.

Defense contains Uiagalelei in second half

The South Carolina defense has struggled against a dual-threat quarterback, and Clemson’s DJ Uigalelei was no exception. The junior finished with 51 rushing yards with a rushing touchdown, his best performance of the year on the ground. Clemson's run game dominated the South Carolina defensive line with three rushers over 40 yards. Running back Will Shipley led the way with 132 yards and a touchdown

However, the Gamecocks have also excelled at making second-half adjustments, and Uigalelei struggled to find any production after halftime. The Tigers logged just 99 total passing yards, and the junior quarterback had nine rushing yards in the second half.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina upsets Clemson 31-30, breaks eight-game losing streak