South Carolina Gamecocks
No. 2 Clemson faces rival South Carolina seeking 12-0 season
South Carolina Gamecocks

No. 2 Clemson faces rival South Carolina seeking 12-0 season

Published Nov. 21, 2018 8:36 a.m. ET

South Carolina (6-4) at No. 2 Clemson (11-0, No. 2 CFP), 7 p.m. EST (ESPN)

Line: Clemson by 26.

Series record: Clemson leads 69-42-4.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

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Clemson has wrapped up a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. It's looking to complete its fourth perfect regular season. South Carolina could enhance its bowl possibilities with every extra win.

KEY MATCHUP

South Carolina QB Jake Bentley against Clemson's defensive front four of ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant and tackles Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. Bentley has played his best football the past few weeks, combining to throw for 1,093 yards and nine TDs his past four games. Clemson's defensive front has combined for 18 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Carolina: WR Deebo Samuel. The Gamecocks senior missed last year's game due to injury. He leads South Carolina with 48 catches and six touchdown receptions. Samuel can be even more dynamic as a kick returner, bringing one back for a touchdown in a win at Ole Miss.

Clemson: RB Travis Etienne: The sophomore tailback is a 1,000-yard rusher in what's been an uneven season. Some games Etienne is a Heisman Trophy-caliber runner, others he's an afterthought to the Tigers talented receivers.

FACTS & FIGURES

Clemson has won four straight in the rivalry. A fifth in a row would be the program's longest such streak against the Gamecocks since winning seven consecutive games from 1934-40. ... The latest win streak came after South Carolina's unprecedented five in a row from 2009-13 when Steve Spurrier was coach. ... Etienne has rushed for 17 TDs, tying the school's single-season mark shared by Lester Brown (1978), James Davis (2006) and Wayne Gallman (2016). ... Clemson and South Carolina both play Dec. 1. The Tigers are in the ACC championship game against Pitt while the Gamecocks play Akron as a makeup game for one to Marshall cancelled on Sept. 15 due to Hurricane Florence.

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