Ahead of Saturday's rivalry matchup with Clemson, managing editor Adam Orfinger got in touch with Allison Daniel, the sports editor of Clemson's The Tiger, to preview the game.
TDG: South Carolina has struggled with mobile quarterbacks this season. How would you expect Clemson to attack that weakness?
AD: Deshaun Watson became nationally known last year for his mobility and his ability to break down defenses. This year, his legs haven’t been as much of a part of the offense, but that is largely due to the fact that defenses are selling out to stop him. That started to change against Wake Forest, and I expect co-offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott to loosen the reigns on Deshaun’s running now that we are entering the postseason. Expect Watson to have a big game running against the Gamecocks. The combination of him and Wayne Gallman will open up the down field passing options.
TDG: The Tigers are heavy favorites, but it seems that in rivalry games, the talent disparity doesn't seem to matter as much, as was the case last year. Do you expect this game to be close like the 2015 contest?
AD: I expect this game to be a little too close for Clemson fans to be comfortable with, but not as close as last year. The home field advantage of a night game in Death Valley will be a huge advantage for the Tigers. With it being Watson’s last game in Clemson, I expect a big performance from him and the entire team. Somewhere near 35-25 would be my score prediction.
TDG: The Gamecocks have played several low-scoring, slow games this season. How will Clemson adapt to that pace, and will it hurt the Tigers?
AD: Clemson is an up-tempo team that thrives when it is moving quickly. Assuming the Gamecocks can possess the ball against Clemson’s defense, it could potentially hurt the Tigers. However, I don’t expect it to be a huge problem since the Clemson defense, even with its problems, has been able to keep opposing teams limited in their time of possession. The real problem will be if the offense continually scores quickly or is unable to move the ball and the defense is left on the field like it was against Louisville.
TDG: The Clemson defense was exposed in the loss to Pittsburgh, and South Carolina has gained momentum on offense. How do you expect the Tigers will fare against a poised Jake Bentley and a young Gamecock offense?
AD: Jake Bentley will be welcomed to Death Valley by Ben Boulware and Christian Wilkins. The young quarterback in a hostile environment with a dynamic pass rush will be forced to move around a lot. He will be under duress for the entire game. Clemson’s secondary was what was really exposed against Pitt, but Bentley will have to have time to throw in order to take advantage of that. The problem could be the quick screen game or the running game which would negate the excellent pass rush of the Tigers.
TDG: Fill in the blanks: Clemson will win this game if _______________________. South Carolina will win this game if _______________________.
AD: Clemson will win this game if Wayne Gallman and the running game can help out Deshaun Watson and the defense doesn’t have any of the mental errors they have been prone to lately. Carolina wins this game if they win the turnover battle and are able to have the majority of the possession during the game.