Big plays on defense propel Clemson to 28-14 win over South Carolina
COLUMBIA — If I told you Clemson held South Carolina to 41 rushing yards, 1-for-11 on third down, and just 21 minutes of possession… you might think we were talking about one of those vintage, defense-first Clemson teams from the mid-2010s.
But this is the 2025 Clemson Tigers. A team that hasn’t always made things easy on itself did just enough Saturday afternoon. And in a rivalry where style points rarely matter, Clemson (7-5, 4-4) walked out of Williams-Brice Stadium with a 28–14 win, keeping the Palmetto State orange for another year.
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It was the same defense that’s taken plenty of heat all season that delivered the defining plays. Clemson forced three turnovers, including the one that finally slammed the door on the Gamecocks.
South Carolina (4-8, 1-7) had its chances late.
Down six with just under 3:30 to play, it looked eerily similar to last year: LaNorris Sellers with the ball, marching toward a potential game-winning drive.
But this time, it was Clemson safety Ricardo Jones who got the better of him. Jones found a tipped pass falling into his arms, and took it 12 yards for a pick-six, his second interception of the day that sealed the win and flipped the script from a year ago.
The very next drive; South Carolina’s final possession with hope, Ronan Hanafin punched the ball free and Sammy Brown fell on it, the final stamp on a defensive finish that nobody would’ve bet on back in September.
And if anyone deserves a few apology notes, it’s Wade Woodaz.
The junior has heard plenty this season – rightfully so – but delivered two of the biggest plays of Clemson’s year.
With South Carolina driving earlier in the fourth, Sellers pulled a read option with a wide-open lane. Woodaz chased him across the formation, wrapped him up, and likely saved a touchdown.
Then, on fourth-and-3, he broke up a pass to end the Gamecocks’ best chance at taking the lead. It was the best sequence he’s had all season.
The Tigers offense didn’t exactly hold up its end of the complementary-football bargain.
Clemson had multiple chances to deliver the knockout blow, including after Jones’ first interception, a pick in the end zone to open the fourth quarter.
But a promising drive fizzled after an illegal formation penalty, ending in a punt. That’s been the theme all year.
Still, Clemson found production. Cade Klubnik went 24-for-39 for 268 yards, a rushing touchdown and an interception. But he missed a couple of throws badly in the end zone that could’ve opened up the game earlier.
Adam Randall ran with purpose all afternoon, picking up 102 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown behind an offensive line that consistently created space.
Out wide, TJ Moore had one of his best games with six catches for 101 yards. Antonio Williams added seven receptions for 66, and tight end Christian Bentancur posted a career-high five catches.
Special teams mattered, too.
Jack Smith quietly had one of the most important performances of the day: six punts for 244 yards, including four downed inside the 20.
His final punt pinned South Carolina at its own five, setting up Jones’ pick-six. That’s winning football, even if it wasn’t always pretty.
Defensively, the plan was simple: make LaNorris Sellers beat them with his arm. And at times, he almost did.
Sellers hit on touchdown bombs of 53 and 74 yards in the first half – plays Dabo Swinney called “two of the worst busts I’ve ever seen” heading into halftime. Sellers finished 23-for-42 for 381 yards, leaning heavily on Nyck Harbor, who was a matchup problem all afternoon with six catches for 115 yards.
The defense struggled to contain Harbor and Vandrevius Jacobs all afternoon, especially with Avieon Terrell sidelined for most of the final three quarters.
But outside of those explosives, Clemson gave Sellers nothing easy.
The Gamecocks ran for just 50 yards on 16 attempts, a complete turnaround from last year, thanks largely to a disruptive performance from Will Heldt, who posted four tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
For someone who might not have known this rivalry existed 12 months ago, he played like he grew up in it.
With the win, Clemson improves to 74-44-4 all time against South Carolina and has now won nine of the last 11 meetings.
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The road team has now won six straight in the Palmetto Bowl with the last home win coming in 2018, during Clemson’s national title season.
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It wasn’t flawless. It wasn’t dominant. But it was enough, and in this rivalry, that’s usually all it takes.
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