Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TH®fiSAMECOCK spo >ts Page 10 _1_ _ L k3 Monday, Nov. 21,2005 SOUTH CAROLINA (7-4) 9 — NO. 25 CLEMSON (7-4) 13 amn, damn, damn Juan Bias/THE GAMECOCK Clemson running back James Davis breaks the tackle of Ricardo Hurley en route to the Tigers’ only touchdown of the night. Davis ran for 145 yards as Clemson won 13-9. Juan Bias/THE fiAMECOCK Freshman receiver Sidney Rice can't corral a pass from Blake Mitchell around the goal line. Rice had 122 yards receiving. Cock V Fire offense cant capitalize on Clemson miscues Jonathan Hillyard SPORTS EDITOR Steve Spurrier’s first season at USC has been defined by his offense making plays when it needed to. With close wins against Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida, the clutch touchdown had become the staple of the first Cock ’n’ Fire offense. The lack of that crucial touchdown proved to be the Gamecocks’ undoing Saturday against their biggest rival. The SEC’s fourth-rated red zone offense settled for three field goals and ultimately came up short when the team needed seven. “In a close game, some of those misfires and so forth can come back and cost you,” Spurrier said. “Basically, that’s what happened tonight.” Despite outgaining the Clemson offense 251 yards to 84 in the first CHAnCES#9 Carolina Rushing yards by Mike Davis, a career high 3 Number of field goals by Josh Brown 7 Total wins in 2005 Consectutive losses in the Carolina-Clemson series I I Clemson Rushing yards by James Davis Interceptions thrown by Charlie Whitehurst in first half 9-Of Conversion rate on third down Number of yards Clemson needed to convert a 1st down Graphic illustration by Laura Joyce Gough/ THE GAMECOCK Defense holds Tigers to 3 field goal attempts, gives up late game-winning touchdown to in-state archrival filex Riley ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Some streaks are meant to be broken. Others are meant to continue. After reeling off five straight wins and earning a spot among the nation’s top 25, USC looked to finish its season off Saturday with a victory against in-state rival Clemson. Instead, what the Gamecocks got was history lesson like no other. A 13-9 loss to the Tigers snapped USC’s win streak and made it the third year in a row the team has earned a spot in the polls only to lose the following week. It also marked the first time a quarterback from either school has won all four games in the rivalry, as Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst led the Tigers to their fourth consecutive win in the series. “It was a low scoring affair,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “Its disappointing when they make all them thirds. They made a ton of third-and-8’s, third-and-lO’s. But that’s happened to us all year.” aerensc sccmcu to nave an answer for Whitehursts aerial attack, as the senior was picked off twice in the first quarter, once by junior cornerback Fred Bennett and again by Jonathan Joseph. “They played hard,” defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix said. “They went out and did what we asked them to do.” Those two picks aided in keeping the Tiger offense at bay, as Whitehursts 27 yards passing and the team’s 30 yards rushing produced a 6 3 halftime lead for the Gamecocks. The • third quarter opened with Clemson getting the ball at the 20 following a touchback on the kickoff. Tiger running back James Davis ran nine times, while Whitehurst passed nine times in 19 play drive that took Clemson to the USC 6-yard line. But penalties and incompletions around the goal line allowed the Gamecock defense to hold the Tigers to a 23-yard field goal, tying things up at 6. “We came in confident,” USC defensive back Chris Hampton said. “We felt we could win. Its very disappointing.” After a Blake Mitchell interception, the defense would be forced to take a stand once again, as Davis’ running began to pick up key first downs. Clemson running back Reggie Merriweather came on to relieve Davis as the fourth quarter began, but found no running room against the defense. Clemson settled for a 42-yard field goal try from Jad Dean, but Orus Lambert blocked the attempt, preserving the 6-6 score. After a stalled drive, Josh Brown punted to Clemson’s Chansi Stuckey who fumbled the ball to Tremaine Tyler, setting up another USC field goal. Ahead 9-6, the Gamecock defense * looked like it might hold the Tigers as time ran down in the final period. After a pass to Aaron Kelly for a first down, Clemson was penalized for clipping, backing the Tigers up 15 yards for a first-and-25. After an incompletion, Clemson was backed up once again, this time for hold, setting up a first-and-35 from the Tiger 22. Davis and Stuckey caught passes for nine and 14 yards, setting up a third and-12. Curtis Baham would make a 28-yard catch that would move Clemson inside the Carolina 27. Davis then busted loose for a 23-yard gain and finished the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up, 13-9. “They just made plays,” Bennett said. “Their quarterback did a good job of hitting his receivers. They made some great plays. We’ve just got to Defense • 9