COLUMBIA — A week after they responded to his tough love in a win over Wake Forest, Brent Venables’ defense took another step back in Saturday’s 37-32 victory over rival South Carolina in Columbia.
Clemson’s fifth-ranked defense yielded 32 points and 402 total yards to a Gamecocks’ offense that was putrid at running the football and average at best in the passing game. In the last two weeks, USC rushed for a combined 93 yards against the Citadel and Florida, but they totaled 181 against the Tigers on 38 carries.
South Carolina (3-9) gained 252 of its total yards in the second half and scored 29 points.