CLEMSON- This year's annual rivalry game between Clemson and South Carolina was an absolute slugfest.
Points were at a premium, due in large part to how well each defense played.
The Tigers limited LaNorris Sellers and the Gamecocks' offense to just seven points through the first three quarters. While Sellers had done some damage via his legs, it still felt like Clemson was in control.
However, it was over the final 15 minutes that Sellers really took over. The redshirt freshman was masterful in the 17-14 comeback win. He routinely escaped pressure by shedding tacklers and then breaking off big runs. He had seven runs on the afternoon that went 13 yards or more.
In the fourth quarter alone Sellers ripped off runs of 13, 27, 27 and 20 yards. That final 20-yarder was a touchdown scamper on a 3rd-and-16 with just over a minute left in the game, giving South Carolina its first lead.
In fact, Sellers was responsible for both of the Gamecocks' touchdowns, also scoring from 25 yards out in the first quarter.
"Isa w a great player in Sellers today," head coach Dabo Swinney said. "That was something special."
"He made two of the greatest runs you are ever going to see. He was spectacular. Incredible individual effort by him. It was certainly the difference in the game."
Clemson did get to Sellers three times in the first half, but failed to register a sack over the final two quarters.
"He was special," Swinney added. "We had three sacks, probably should have had six. He just escaped. And we saw that on tape. He's won a couple of games for them. We had him for big-time negative yards and somehow he got out."
It was a performance that left Swinney in awe. Not that the head coach was surprised. He has seen Sellers do it all season long. And on Saturday he got to see it firsthand.
"I give him credit," Swinney said. "We had him dead to rights a few times and... all you got to do is watch, what is this, game 12? Just watch every game. It's a re-run. It doesn't matter who they are playing. Everybody they played, he did that. So it certainly wasn't just us. We made some great plays on him too. We did some really good stuff, but he made a couple of the biggest plays that were the difference in the game.
A limited number of signed replica road signs from Cade Klubnik are available! Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!