South Carolina pulls off another big upset, likely ends Clemson's College Football Playoff hopes

For the second consecutive week, the South Carolina Gamecocks have ended a top-10 team’s College Football Playoff hopes.

Seven days removed from the 68-36 trouncing of then-No. 5 Tennessee, South Carolina earned an even sweeter upset victory over in-state rival No. 8 Clemson 31-30 in the Palmetto Bowl. The Gamecocks improve to 8-4 on the season with the win heading into the postseason with all the momentum in the world.

Neither Tennessee, nor Clemson will find themselves in this year’s playoff field, solely due to the late-season push from South Carolina. The win gives the South Carolina program its first back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents in school history.

Head coach Shane Beamer called on his quarterback Spencer Rattler to step up big in the second half, saying, “if we’re gonna win this game, we’re gonna win this game because of him.” Rattled listened, and obliged.

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Beamer’s star quarterback completed 25-of-39 passing for 360 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions – both coming in the first half, before Beamer’s strong message.

Now, Rattler has completed the most impressive two weeks of his career – and did so in winning fashion. He wasn’t able to quite have the game he had against the Vols, where he threw for 438 yards and six touchdowns. Combined, the Oklahoma transfer has thrown for 798 yards in the last two week, which is good for 33 percent of his 2,420 total passing yards this season.

South Carolina was never in the CFP title picture to begin with, but once the field expands to 12 in the coming seasons, Beamer is now going to be expected to have his teams play at this level and compete in the playoff picture moving forward.

“We’re just getting started,” Beamer said postgame.