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State rival] JiMMY DeBUTTS Sports Editor Ihe annual clash for state supremacy commences tomorrow as the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-5) travel to Clemson (5-5) to battle the Tigers. Carolina's season comes down to one game. With a win, the Gamecocks are bowl bound. A loss brings the season to a close. This is the final game of the season for the Tigers. Clemson has only four wins against Division I teams; six are needed for postseason play. Clemson holds the advantage in the series with a record of54-33-4 over USC. The Tigers have won five of the last six meetings. Carolina's last win came in 1992 at Death Valley. Steve Taneyhill was the quarterback for USC that day and led the team to a 24-13 win. He said this year's team is better and more team-oriented. "We're a totally different team than we were two years ago," Taneyhill said. "I didn't play well last year so I just want to nlav well this vear to make ud for it." I "V W i Clemson's outstanding linebacker corps will try to put pressure on Taneyhill to keep him from moving the ball down the field. Tim Jones, Michael Barber and Darnell Stephens have led the Tigers defensively this year. For the Gamecocks to be successful, the offensive line must give Taneyhill time to throw the ball. They will also be responsible for creating holes for Brandon Bennett and Stanley Pritchett to run through. An effective ground game will soften up the Clemson defense and allow Taneyhill to put the ball up. The Tigers have finally found a consistent starting quarterback in Nealon Greene. Greene has led Clemson to wins over North Carolina and Georgia Tech. The Tigers have won three consecutive games, all over ACC foes. During the streak, Clemson has averaged nearly 350 yards per game after averaging just 253.7 yards in the first seven games. Clemson's rushing game has improved Streaks hitfhl ft LARRY WILLIAMS Out of Bounds It needs no introduction. Just call it "the game." Forget about Southern CalNotre Dame. Forget about Miami-Florida State, and yes, forget about AuburnAlabama (except for maybe this year). Give me that old yearly slugfest between the garnet and black and the orange and purple. This is it. Yourie going to hate me for saying this worn out tennis shoe of a cliche, but this is a game where all records go out the window. Sorry. On Saturday, the Gamecocks will travel to Tigertown to take on the Clemson Tigers. Both teams are 5-5. Both teams are, well, average football teams So why am I going to go on and on aboul how important this game is? Well, thanks for asking. Here goes. First off, there are streaks on th< line. Carolina is looking to break a two game losing streak this season. Caroli na is also looking to avoid a two-gam< losing streak to the detestable Tigers Also, the Gamecocks are hoping t< end a six-year absence from the bowls If Carolina manages to go to a bowl, an other streak is on line: USC is 0-8 ir postseason play. As for the Tigers, they'll have plen ty of incentive to win Saturday. Ruining Carolina's bowl hopes would keep Clemson fans a lot warmer in the following winter months. Also, Clemson is hoping to accomplish a winning record, a feat that seemec impossible when the Tigere were rolling ^ ^ ? ? ? ??? ? - ? J mnnrr r*rt CIO up 13 pom is a game aim uavmg jjuoo ing totals in the single digits. From a coaching standpoint, this i.( the game that could set the preceden for years to come. Tommy West and Bra( Scott would both love to win the gam< with the many in- and out-of-state re cruits looking on from the stands. Also, bad blood is present betweer USC and Clemson defensive coordina tor Miles Aldridge and West. Can yoi believe that just three years ago, botl Aldridge and West were on the Caroli na sidelines as co-defensive coordina tors proclaiming their love for the gar net and black? Who can forget Wesfs comments up on being hired last year as the head coacl of Clemson? It was something to the el feet of, "I'm glad to be back. I've alway had the orange in my blood." Folks, i this ain't backstabbing, then nothing is Finally, and of course, this game i going to come down to, first and fore most, the players (strange isn't it?). Pla) ers like Brandon Bennett, Toby Cate and Tony Watkins will be playing ii their last Clemson game and, quite pos sibly, their last college football garni Enough of the present, lefs talk aboi history. Clemson holds a 54-33-4 edg ry comes to i The Gamecocks, coming off a 48-17 U cessful against the Tigers. The game ' bv more than 100 yards a same over the ri past three weeks. gi In the Tiger's first seven games, they ir averaged 143.9 yards on the ground. They have improved in their last three ri games to 261.3 rushing yards a game. H The Gamecock defense will have to deal ai with Clemson's option game. This means tl they will have to keep tabs on Greene H and running backs Lamont Pegues and s( Raymond Priester. gi Pagues leads the Tigers with 330 yards on 76 rushing attempts. He also t? has two touchdowns. Greene has passed is for 472 yards with 47 completions on 83 a attempts. Greene has not thrown a touch- tl down pass or an interception. ir Brandon Bennett has moved into si third place on the USC all-time career a light Gamecockin the series, but in the last decade, if s ai been a little closer than that. Lets take a 10-year look to get those competitive m juices flowing. o' Well, I guess it couldn't be more ap- B propriate to start with 1984 because cc that year's Carolina-Clemson battle was ei arguably the greatest. South Carolina, 9-1, ventured to n Death Valley fresh off a devastating 38- ei 21 loss to Navy. Their national cham- G pionship hopes ruined, Carolina looked q to wrap up their first 10-win season ever and a Gator Bowl berth. Meanwhile, S i Clemson awaited. On probation, the o] Tigers and William Perry awaited lick, ing their chops. n To make matters worse for Caroli- ir I na, Clemson came down the hill before le kickoff in the hallowed orange pants. 11 The Tigers were 17-0 in games wearing the orange britches. a ( Down 21-3 just before halftime, Car} olina marched down the field and scored E to make it 21-10 at the half. The score T } was 21-15 going into the final stanza. 1( USC found itself deep in its own ter- tl ritory with only two minutes left. Led ? by Superman Mike Hold, Carolina s marched down the field for a score to a j make the score 21 all. On his second try c for the extra point, Scott Hagler sent s Carolina fans into a frenzy. They stormed t j the field and stayed for hours. Skipping to 1986, the snakebit Game- s cocks returned to Death Valley with a n deceiving 3-6-1 record. Carolina was 5 , armed with a high-scoring offense and f( a team that featured such players as Todd Ellis, Sterling Sharpe, Harold Green t< and Brad Edwards. b I In a game that many still can't fig- F r ure out how the Gamecocks didn't win, USCs Hagler had a chance to beat Clem- t son with his foot two out of three years b s in Death Valley with a 40-yard field goal, y j. The kick just about summarized Car- a j olina's dismal 3-6-2 season?close, but ii B no cigar. In 1987, it was payback time. The a Tigers came into Williams-Brice Stadi- e 1 um for a nationally-televised game, t] Armed with a potent offense and the fa- a x mous Black Death defense of Joe Lee t 1 Dunn, this team was arguably USC's a best ever. In the first quarter, Clemson quar- 1 terback and Irmo native Rodney Williams ( led the Tigers on a long scoring drive 1 h capped by a 1-yard TD run by Wesley ( McFadden to put the Kittens up 7-0. ? Two field goals by USCs Collin Mack- 1 s ie from outside 45 yards pulled the Game- r f cocks to within a point at the half. ' 5 The second half was a different sto- s s ry. The Black Death defense dominat- 1 ed from the outset, harassing Williams r. and the other Clemson players. Midway s through the third quarter, the Tiger de- 1 n fense finally broke, and Ellis connected i j_ with Ryan Bethea over the middle for a i j 68-yard gain to put the ball at the Clem- s son 3-yard line. e Harold Green took it in from there, The Gamecock i boil in D( >ss to Florida, need to dominate 01 will be televised on WLTX. Klckoff ishing list with 2,879 yards on the *ound. Bennett leads the Gamecocks i receiving and rushing. The senior tailback has 678 yards ishing, including three touchdowns, 'e also has 40 receptions for 283 yards id one touchdown. Bennett is currently lird in the SEC in all-purpose yards. e has amassed 1,286 yards so far this ;ason, for an average of 128.6 yards a ime. Tonav^ill iq in fVio QT?P in frv_ A CAAA^sjr AAAAA AO bAAlA U AAA blAW KAJLJVS AAA WV J offense. The junior from Altoona, Pa, averaging 195.2 yards a game. He has mnected for 18 touchdown passes while irowing just three interceptions. His nprovement is obvious from last seaDn when he had just six touchdowns nd 14 interceptions. Tiger rivalry nd the party began. Down 13-7, Clemson panicked. Rodey Williams threw an ill-advised pass /er the middle that was picked off by rad Edwards. Edwards, flanked by a >nvoy of blockers, ran untouched to the id zone. With Carolina up 20-7, the Tigers ever recovered. I can still hear the deafning chants of "Rodney!" by jubilant amecock fans, taunting the Clemson narterback. The next day's sports section of The tate tagged the '87 squad, "Best Carlina Football Team Ever." The next year was revenge for Rodey and the Tigers as they won 29-10 l front of a record crowd at Death Val:y. Clemson fans, returning the favor, mnted us with chants of "Ellis!" 1989. Clemson-45, USC-0. No words re necessary for this one. In 1990, Carolina journeyed back to leath Valley to face the highly-ranked igers. Heavily favored, Clemson was >oking for a second-straight blowout of lie Cocks. It wouldn't happen. In a surprisingly close game, USC rorfid a touchdown against the Tieers t Death Valley, a feat no team had acomplished that year; however, the trength of the Tigers prevailed, and hey went on to post a 24-15 victory. Skipping to 1992, this Carolina-Clemon game most closely resembled the aatchup for this year. Clemson was 5; Carolina was 4-6 and playing great >otball. USC wasted no time, scoring on a juchdown pass from a brash freshman y the name of Steve Taneyhill to Asim 'enny. Carolina's defense didn't give up a ouchdown all day as the Gamecocks eat the Tigers for the first time in five ears. The Taneyhill of old, as reserved s he was back then, signed his name a the Tiger paw at midfield. Last year's battle was a low scoring ffair. In a game that just about sumaarized the whole season for Carolina, he Gamecocks jumped out to a 13-3 lead it half. If you think there was celebraion taking place in the stands, think igain. Clemson did what Gamecock fans loped they wouldn't do?run all over Carolina in the second half. They ran eft, ran right and ran backwards to beat Carolina 16-13. There you have it. A semi-complete LO-year history of the rivalry that ranks ight up there with the big ones. This Saturday is going to be one of blood, sweat and tears. To the seniors, good uck and congratulations. A prediction? USC-17, Clemson-16. For those of you who are planning jo make the trip, here are the directions vhich I use to get to Tigertown: Go north mtil you smell it, then west until you step in it. Just win, baby. Friday, November 18, 199' iath Valley [* ?/ NI VAN HOPE The Gamecock n both sides of the ball to be suo- ^ Is set for 12:05 p.m. Saturday. ^ tin "Obviously, you can see Fm better," da "Thfl V\r?o Violnorl n rtroof iL lie ocuu. JLiie ojoteiAi hcao iieifjeii cx gicai ^Ql deal." With both teams fighting for a win- * so ning record and the rivalry's historic in- Pe tensity, tomorrow's game should be a AI battle from beginning to end. This game is for bragging rights as much as it is ru for a winning record. Periodically throughout the footbs on the week's games. See how y Alabama (4) at Auburn (6) j Florida State (8) J-. at North Carolina State (25)' Virginia (16) at Virginia Tech (14) Michigan (18) at Ohio State (22) 'J Washington (18) at Washington State (24) ' North Carolina at Puke (24) Get in tl You could win a cam the Tuesday, Noveml to meet the Nashvijj at the Townshipl Thii all who donate a Bank at WC05 van a weekend. In additioi those who donate a Morgan t-shirts, con albums, etc. Registe the Delta Sigma Pi a outside of room 400 Lorrie's show. The di and winners musipf November 29. i I pomsmm *A p v STEW YORK (AP) ? NBA players I ected the league's proposal to close P ipholes in salary cap rules. Union head Charles Grantham ( io said the league has turned down 2 players' proposal to replace the | laiy cap with a rookie pay scale, v The sides are negotiating a col- c itive bargaining agreement while g e season continues under a no- Y ike, no-lockout pledge. P MEW YORK (AP) ? Chicago coach v ril Jackson was fined $10,000 by t e NBA for derogatory comments y out referee Hue Hollins following p 2 Bulls' loss to Dallas on Saturday *ht. i Jackson said Hollins, who made r controversial call against the Bulls e Irtof oaoonn'o r\1o\7nffc! nr%m a ir?f a T last ocaauii o piajuuo, uaixxc; uiiu j. e game with an attitude problem, r ?L ? NEW YORK (AP) ? New Eng- | id's Drew Bledsoe, who set an NFL I :ord with 70 attempts and 45 com- s stions in the Patriots' 26-20 over- i ne victory over Minnesota on Suny, is the AFC offensive player of t e week. ? Pittsburgh cornerback Ron Wood- A n and Cincinnati kicker Doug i ilphrey also were honored in the i ?C. i Detroit's Barry Sanders, who shed for 237 yards against Tamill season, the Gamecock staff r 'our predictions compare. DeBut!$ Wiiteoi Auburn Auburi Florida State Florid? Virainia Viraini Michigan s;W IT* : MJchig Washington Washi ' North Carolina ; Duka lie Holida; [ of canned goods for Hi it Columbia Mail over Th i to a chance for the tw< bag of food will be eligi cert tickets, "Mama's Hi r at the Russell House i X In the Coliseum to win awing will be held on M< ck th ti k ts b f t 9 a Bay, was selected in die NFC along nth San Francisco safety Mertcn lanks and Green Bay punter Craig lentrich. iolf I The latest move by the Fox network into sports programming could hange the makeup of professional ;olf and bring legal and financial leadaches for the PGA Tour. A formal announcement was exacted Thursday about a series of worldwide tournaments underwriten by $25 million from Fox that /ould put golfs best players in comletition with the established tours. In addition to Fox, the key figires in the venture are Greg Nornan, long a supporter of a world torn-, ind Executive Spoils, a Deb-ay Beach, rla., organization that manages a lumber of U.S. tournaments. Soccer I NEW YORK (AP) ? Major Soccer ..eague chairman Alan Rothenberg said the new U.S. league will not start intil 1996. J rn .JJ.J ^nicago ana rampa were auueu 0 Boston; Columbus, Ohio; Los Anjeles; New Jersey; San Jose; and Washington, which were announced n June. Long Island, also announced n the summer, will not begin play n 1996 because of stadium problems. nakes predictions *'> fs|8i n Auburn 1 State Florida State|j||| a Virginia l0n;liS{J2?S:^^n ...1 ngton State Washington Duke Gamecock Graphics y Mood! ront-row seats at ncert and a chance ige after the show fee a possibility for irypjlf Hope Food > grand prizes, 5 ^ Eo receive Lome _ y Eyes" nformation center, the BA building or t a pair of tickets to onday, November 28 5pm on Tuesday, HHmP*"' I 1