The Clemson Insider has gone through and analyzed every team in Clemson’s 2016 regular season to find the toughest matchups the Tigers will face. The result? A calculated ranking of every team Clemson plays from easiest to hardest.
Where a team ranks depends on a couple main characteristics like last season’s outcome, prior meetings with Clemson, returning and departing talent, recruiting and changes within coaching staffs.
We continue our ranking with the No. 6 opponent: South Carolina (Nov. 26 – Memorial Stadium)
Last meeting: The Gamecocks tried their best to ruin Clemson’s perfect regular season, but failed when Clemson won 37-32 at Williams-Brice Stadium last season. The victory ended the three-game losing streak that the Tigers held in Columbia prior to last season. Deshaun Watson and Wayne Gallman both ran for over 100 yards, and Watson recorded a career-high three rushing touchdowns. At one point in the fourth quarter, South Carolina trailed the nation’s top-ranked team by just three points, but the Tigers prevailed to defeat their rival.
Last season: Last season was tough on the Gamecocks, who ended the season with a 3-9 record, with one SEC win over Vanderbilt. However South Carolina experienced a different type of loss when legendary head coach Steve Spurrier resigned on October 2, leaving Shawn Elliot in charge as interim head coach. The Gamecocks even lost 23-22 to The Citadel and missed bowl eligibility for the first time since 2007.
Coaching Staff: Will Muschamp has taken over the head coaching position for the 2016 season. He joined the team in December after most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2014 where his defense allowed an average of 405.2 yards per game. In his time as head coach at Florida, Muschamp coached the Gators through four seasons with a 28-21 record. To coach South Carolina, Muschamp brought in former Auburn assistant Travaris Robinson as defensive coordinator, and Kurt Roper and Bryan McClendon as co-offensive coordinators.
Returning: Junior running back David Williams, who picked up 299 yards on 86 carries last season, returns as the team’s best runner. Quarterback Perry Orth will return to start after completing 143 of 261 passes for 1,929 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. South Carolina’s third-best receiver, sophomore Deebo Samuel, caught 12 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown as a freshman is the best returning receiver, and senior defensive end Marquavius Lewis is the best athlete to return to the defensive line after starting every game in 2015 with 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Additions: The Gamecocks will be able to utilize dual-threat true freshman Brandon McIlwain who turned down potentially being drafted for baseball to play at South Carolina. The two-sport athlete has a lot of talent and may push Orth for playing time. Early enrollee Bryan Edwards could make an impact at receiver, and JUCO defensive back JaMarcus King should aid the secondary.
Subtractions: The 2016 season will not return star receiver Pharoh Cooper, who is now with the Los Angeles Rams or second-leading receiver in tight end Jerell Adams. Running back Brandon Wilds led the backfield in 2015 and will not return this season. Senior standout linebacker Skai Moore will also miss the entire 2016 season as he recovers from surgery for a herniated disc.
Why this game ranks where it does: Last season, South Carolina averaged just 22 points a game. Although the Gamecocks return an experienced quarterback, most of their offensive playmakers are gone. Muschamp and a new coaching staff may be able to provide some improvement from a devastating 2016 season, but facing Clemson in Death Valley will be a difficult task. Clemson leads the rivalry 67-42-4 and has won two straight in the series.