Recap, scoring plays: South Carolina falls to Clemson at home in season finale
Clemson beat South Carolina 28-14 on Saturday.
The Tigers improve to (7-5, 4-4 ACC) with the win and will await their bowl destination. South Carolina officially ends the 2025 season with a 4-8 (1-7 SEC) record.
Here are the quick highlights of the game.
Score updates
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
Clemson: Adam Randall 10-yard rush (Nolan Hauser kick); 7-0 Clemson, 12:37 Q2
USC: Nyck Harbor 53-yard reception (William Joyce kick); Tied at 7-7, 11:14 Q2
Clemson: Cade Klubnik 3-yard rush (Hauser kick); 14-7 Clemson, 5:48 Q2
USC: Vandrevius Jacobs 74-yard reception (Joyce kick); Tied at 14-14, 5:29 Q2
Clemson: Hauser 32-yard field goal; 17-14 Clemson, 00:56 Q2
Third quarter
Clemson: Hauser 42-yard field goal; 20-14 Clemson, 8:32 Q3
Fourth quarter
Clemson: Ricardo Jones 12-yard interception return (Klubnik to Randall 2-point pass); 28-14 Clemson, 3:20 Q4
Late turnovers ice the game for the Tigers
Clemson just put the game on ice with two quick turnovers on back-to-back drives late in the game.
South Carolina got the ball back deep in its own territory down 20-14 with just over three minutes left in the game.
Sellers dropped back to pass and the ball was tipped. It landed in the hands of Ricardo Jones who took it back 12 yards for a pick six. It’s the second interception of the afternoon for Jones. The touchdown (and following successful two-point conversion) gave Clemson a 28-14 lead.
On the ensuing drive, Nyck Harbor caught a pass but for a 12-yard gain but fumbled the ball shortly after the catch. Clemson recovered the ball in USC territory with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
South Carolina has four turnovers in the game.
Clemson takes a lead into the fourth quarter
The Tigers are leading 20-14 after a relatively uneventful third quarter.
Clemson scored midway through the quarter thanks to a field goal from Hauser. South Carolina punted on two of its three offensive drives in the third quarter. The final Gamecock possession of the quarter ended with Sellers being picked off on a pass to the end zone.
Clemson will have the ball on 2nd and 2 from its own 28-yard line to start the fourth quarter.
Clemson leads at halftime
A short field goal is the difference as Clemson leads South Carolina by three points at halftime, 17-14. The Tigers have outpossessed the Gamecocks 21:44 to 8:16 and have run 47 plays to USC’s 19 plays.
But two long TDs are keeping USC in the game.
Clemson is 5-1 with a halftime lead this season and 160-12 all-time under Dabo Swinney with a halftime lead. Its one loss with a halftime lead this season was at home against then-No. 9 LSU in Week 1 (led 10-3, lost 17-10).
Jacobs scores for USC
After USC went down 14-7, Jacobs got his team right back into the game with a 74-yard touchdown where he outjumped a Clemson defender and then beat multiple other DBs to the end zone. He’s up to 96 receiving yards.
Klubnik’s wild TD play
Klubnik scored a second-quarter TD by recovering his own fumble.
The Clemson QB rolled right, evaded a sack and turned back left, fumbled the ball and ran back to left pylon for the score.
The score on third and goal put Clemson up 14-7 on USC:
Trading touchdowns in Q2
The scoreboard operator finally got put to work in the second quarter.
Clemson scored first thanks to a 10-yard rush from Adam Randall. The touchdown capped off a 7-play, 78 yard drive. South Carolina responded with a score of its own three plays later.
LaNorris Sellers rolled out right, stopped on a dime and fired a pass 53 yards down field to Nyck Harbor for a touchdown. Harbor’s sixth touchdown catch of the year tied the game at 7-7.
No score after the first quarter
Neither team was able to crack the seal on the scoreboard in the first quarter. The game is tied at 0-0.
Both teams punted twice and had one turnover on their first three drives of the game. Clemson is out-gaining South Carolina 95-58 in total offensive yards.
Clemson has 76 passing yards to South Carolina’s 56 and is out-rushing USC 19-2.
Early turnovers by the both teams
After trading punts to start the game, South Carolina and Clemson have now traded turnovers in the first quarter.
South Carolina turned the ball over on a fumble with 6:44 remaining in the quarter.
LaNorris Sellers dropped back to pass and found a wide open Jared Brown for a 32-yard reception. A few yards after the catch Khalil Barnes forced the ball out of Brown’s hand and Clemson’s TJ Parker recovered the ball at the USC 45-yard line.
Clemson wasn’t able to take advantage of the field position.
Cade Klubnik dropped back to pass from the USC 19-yard line and aimed for Antonio Williams in the end zone. His throw was intercepted by Jalon Kilgore. As a result, South Carolina will get the ball back with 3:43 left in the first quarter at its own 20-yard line. That’s Kilgore’s second interception of the season.
The final injury report
Clemson and South Carolina aren’t required to provide a weekly player availabilitys and/or injury reports during non-conference games.
On the Clemson injury side, redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Stephiylan Green and true freshman quarterback were both listed on the team’s final travel roster for the USC game. Both had been dealing with recent injuries. Denson (a talented runner) could play in special packages behind starter Cade Klubnik.
On the South Carolina side, two notable players who missed last game will be ready to go: Edge rusher Dylan Stewart and WR Nyck Harbor.
Clemson and USC captains
South Carolina’s captains are defensive linemen Bryan Thomas Jr and Nick Barrett, tight end Brady Hunt and offensive lineman Tro Baugh.
Clemson’s captains are wide receiver Antonio Williams, running back Adam Randall and defensive tackles Peter Woods and Demonte Capehart. Williams (Irmo), Randall (Myrtle Beach) and Capehart (Hartsville) are all in-state players.
Uniform combos
South Carolina is wearing white helmets with white face masks and black jerseys and pants with the usual garnet and white stripes.
Clemson is wearing orange helmets, white jerseys and orange pants.
Final betting odds
South Carolina is now the favorite to win Saturday’s rivalry matchup.
The Gamecocks opened as 5.5-point underdogs but are 3-point favorites, according to the Vegas Insider consensus. It’s the first time in 12 years that South Carolina has been favored against Clemson at time of kickoff (2013).
Watch the South Carolina vs Clemson game
- Who: Clemson (6-5) at South Carolina (4-7)
- When: Noon Saturday
- Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia
- TV: SEC Network
- Broadcast crew: Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang
- Stream: Via ESPN or the ESPN app
- Clemson radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area
- USC radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area
- Satellite radio: Sirius XM Channel 106 or 193
- Series history: Clemson leads 73-44-4; USC won last meeting
This story was originally published November 29, 2025 at 11:14 AM.
