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Gamecocks By STEVE JOHNSON Staff Writer After a week of hard practices and intense preparation, the Gamecocks (5-4) will close out their road schedule against their crossstate rival, the 17th ranked Clemson Tigers (8-2). The rivalry, which dates back to 1896, is one of the best in college sports. "I'm not just going to say it's just another game because it's not," USC Coach Sparky Woods said. "It's a very important football game." Clemson features a defense ranked first in rushing defense and total defense, second in scoring defense and eighth in passing defense. They have allowed an average of only 70.4 yards rushing per game and 9.4 points per game. "They're the best defensive team I've ever had the chance to coach against, and I've had the chance to coach against some pretty good ones," Woods said. Two of Clemson's best defensive players are linebacker Ed McDaniel and senior defensive end Vance Hammond. McDaniel leads the Tigers with 87 tackles and has one quarterback sack. Hammond leads the Tiger pass rush with seven sacks and 16 quarterback pressures, and he is third on the team in tackles with 61. USC will challenge Clemson's highly touted defense with an offense led by the nation's seventh rated quarterback, Bobby Fuller. He has completed 142 passes foi 1,980 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. Fuller needs only 12C mr??v? naccincr varHc to Ivmmp nnf of USC's top ten career passers and 222 total yards in the next twc games to move into the ninth spot His yardage total so far has al ready surpassed the best singh season totals by legendary USC quarterbacks Jeff Grantz, Mik< Hold and Gary Harper. When asked if Clemson's defense would make him nervous Fuller said, "No, you can't reallj be thinking about that (their No. 1 rating). You've just got to go ou and do what you can do. "If they try to sack me, I'm jus Colu Thanksc Specials *1 month unlimited /J $40.00 ' Wr\ 1 month limited r I $35.00 I (3 x per week) I 1 week limited $15.00 M (through Nov. 22) M 2002 Greene Street acr (30 sec. i?i!33 779 1 K. m FflR FRFffl I Ull I IIL^I , For more than twenty year; by racers. And worn by soi the mountain. So get a CB E and Tigers s going to take off and run," Fuller said. "If a Clemson player starts running his mouth, it'll pretty much fire me up. I'd just laugh and pick on them by trying to blow a nice pass right by them." The Tigers will attempt to contain Fuller with the nation's eighth rated passing defense. Leading the Tiger pass coverage is cornerback Dexter Davis, who has broken up nine passes and has six interceptions. The multi-talented Chris Gardocki handles the kicking and punting duties for Clemson. Gardocki has the fourth best punting average in the nation and has made 18 of 23 field goals, rating him sixth in the nation in field goal percentage. "In my opinion, Chris Gardocki very well might be the best football player in college football," Woods said. "I don't know of any player that does more for their team than Chris Gardocki does for Clemson." A distinct challenge exists for the USC special teams in containing the Tigers' lethal return man, senior flanker Doug Thomas. Thomas is the chief reason that the Tigers are ranked sixth in the nation in kickoff returns. He has returned eight kickoffs for 293 yards, two for touchdowns and is averaging 36.6 yards per return. Also of concern to the Gamecocks is Clemson's offense, which 1 ranks 11th in the nation in rushing. Tailback Ronald Williams leads the Tigers with 144 carries for 790 ? yards and eight touchdowns. Thp fiompprvlr Hpfpnsp ic lp/t hv ; senior linebacker Patrick Hinton , and cornerback Cedric Surratt, USC is ranked 20th in the nation in total defense and 23rd in the na, tion in passing defense. Hinton J leads all Gamecock tacklers with J 94, has broken up two passes and also has one interception. Surratt has broken up two passes, has two interceptions and has made 43 j tackles this season. [ The USC-Clemson game is t scheduled for 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. A sellout t crowd of over 80,000 is expected. imbia Tan Spa jiving Special if? M \ Open 7 days |k\ a week Ml Featuring Wolff ^ Merittan Sun ^ Systems oss from Andv's Deli in 5 Pts 1 * From campus) i mention this ad and receive I / / 10% off tanning products. ^S|: ^ I j|||j^ I JENTRYERS. >, CB skiwear has been designed ne of the very fastest people on jacket. And get set for take-off. vailable at 100 Decker Blvd. Columbia >3-736-0660 let to clash & s N USC-Clemson 0 Trivia Answers c F \ Q. What is the all-time USC- si Clemson series record? b A riomcnn IaoHc S1 _^^_A r\. \yiviiuwii ivuuo x t S; Q. When did the two teams first d meet on the football field? A. USC won 12-6 on Nov. 12, t< 1896, in Columbia. tl t Q. Last season, the Tigers de- ^ feated the Gamecocks 45-0 in Col- !' umbia. What and when was the 11 largest margin of victory for USC? ^ A. USC won 56-20 Nov. 22, c 1975, in Columbia. s Q. What are the official colors s of the Clemson Tigers? I A. Burnt Orange and Northwest t Purple. ti It1* To FREE STUDENT AE Regular Aerobics Monday, Wedn Monday thru Fi Monday thru Fi Saturday Sunday Low Impact Aerobics Tuesday & Thu Aqua Aerobics Monday thru T1 Stretch & Tone Monday thru T The last aerobic ses; T * Swimming si INTRAMURAL SPO For more information or l Activity Wrestling Basketball Visii General Motors Colle reff Wilson D 32-14-1 SC @ Clemson Clemson rnn St. @ N. Dame N Dame NC @ Duke UNC linois @ Indiana Illinois liss. @ Tenn. Tenn. SU @ Miss. St. Miss. St. ou. Cal @ UCLA UCLA rown @ Columbia Brown lissouri @ Kansas Kansas ] exas @ TCU Texas JSC readies fi !y BRANT LONG assistant Sports Editor USC travels to Raleigh, N.C., unday for the second round of the 1CAA Soccer Tournament. The Gamecocks are coming off f a 3-0 upset to fourth-ranked 'lemson and now face the South legion's top seed, N.C. State Volfpack. The Pack are ranked econd nationally and received a ye in the first round. USC Head Coach Mark Berson aid the Wolfpack (16-4-0) present ifferent concerns than the Tigers. "N.C. State is an excellent ? i : J ??ti ^LaII sam, ne saiu. 111c maiieuge hey present to us is a different ype of game than Clemson. Vhere Clemson was vulnerable in he midfield, N.C. State is strong n the midfield. Where Clemson lasn't scored a tremendous amount if goals, N.C. State has been very trong this year in the attack." The ACC Champion Wolfpack's trong midfield contains the ACC >layer of the Year in Henry Guierrez, but Berson has faith that he USC defense can keep him in > Time Play! IN ASSOCL4 THE UNIVERSITY O] CAMPUS RI ROBICS SESSIONS esday & Friday 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. iday 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. -iday 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. 10:15 - 11:15 a.r 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. irsday 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. hursday 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. hursday 6:15-7:15 p.m. sion before Thanksgiving Break is Mor he last scheduled aerobic session for tti tills not necessary. You must rent a lock< contact the Blatt PE Center RTS to register, stop by the Office of Campus Entries Open Monday, November 26 Monday, December 3 t vnur Tntramural < Department ant i is proud to be associated with your c CHEVROLET-PONT BUICK- CAPILLA PI -^(BSpE BBBI General Motors..'.'sh ge Football Pickem1! >ave Bowden Brant Long Steve Jc 31-15-1 31-15-1 30-l( Clemson USC USC N. Dame N. Dame N. D; UNC Duke UNC Illinois Illinois Illin Tenn. Tenn. Tenn LSU LSU LSU UCLA UCLA Sou. Brown Brown Brow Missouri Missouri Miss rexas Texas Texa or Wolfpack check. "Our players will recognize some ways to shut down their best players," he said. N.C. State Head Coach George Tarantini knows the Gamecocks have been in the NCAAs many times before. "We will be playing one of the premier teams in the U.S.," he said. "The experience South Carolina has in the NCAA tournament is tremendous. USC is the only team in the South Region to appear in six straight NCAA tournaments. "It will help coming off of a good win," Berson said. "Our players know what NCAA experience is all about. That can only be a positive factor. "N.C. State is hard to predict. They have had a chance to rest. We're also playing up there so that balances all the scales." USC has won the last four meetings between the two schools, ineluding a 1-0 overtime NCAA tournament win in 1987. Kickoff is? at 1 p.m. k BliyTRAM n tTION WITH F SOUTH CAROLINA ^CREATION Gym 307, Blatt PE Center Gym 307, Blatt PE Center Gym 307, Blatt PE Center n. Gym 307, Blatt PE Center Gym 307, Blatt PE Center Gym 307, Blatt PE Center Pool, Blatt PE Center Combative Room (#107), Bla tday, November 19. Sessions will resume le Fall 1990 semester is Tuesday, Decern! ;r if you are taking Aqua Aerobics (.25/dail at 777-3186 for more information. Recreation, 102 Blatt PE Center, 777-5261 Entries Close Play Begi Thursday, November 29 Sunday, I Thursday, December 6 Sunday, J or Recreational Sp< 1 sign up today! ampus intramural recreational sports ai IAC OLDSMOBILE C-GMC TRUCK 3 I? 1, Ml laring your future" O 1989 s Panel >hnson Doug Aube iich Tayloi 5-1 29-17-1 28-18-1 use use ame N. Dame N. Dame UNC UNC ois Illinois Illinois T>nn Tenn. LSU LSU Cal UCLA UCLA m Columbia Columbia ouri Missouri Kansas ,s TCU Texas Sports Briefs" USC swim teams face Florida today The USC men's and women's swim teams will face the Florida Gators today at 4 p.m. at the Carolina Natatorium. The Lady Gators are ranked seventh nationally while the Florida men are ranked ninth. Both Gamecock teams are 3-1 on the season. The men are led by Mark Smith and Rick Havekost and the women have been paced by Michelle Smith and Isabelle Amould. Surgery a success for USC center USC basketball sophomore Edmond Wilson successfully underwent knee surgery Tuesday and is expected to begin rehabilitation immediately. Wilson injured the knee, in Ihe fiftt half of . tha USC-High, Ffve Athericl '"fexftibitiGrr on* Nov. 5, He ^expected to return to action in 2 to 3 weeks. ji fjC ? tt PE Center : Monday, November 26. >er 11. ly or $10/semester), Ins December 2 anuary 20 )rts * V nd activities. .'^Jl "'V/yiS / j ?. t ; . i* \ ' l