The 2025 Clemson South Carolina game was weird. Honestly, if you just looked at the box score without watching the tape, you’d think the wrong team won. South Carolina actually outgained the Tigers. They had more passing yards, more explosive plays, and a quarterback in LaNorris Sellers who threw for a massive 381 yards. Yet, when the clock hit zero at Williams-Brice Stadium on November 29, the scoreboard read Clemson 28, South Carolina 14.
It was a cold dose of reality for a Gamecocks squad that entered the day as 2.5-point favorites. For Clemson, it was a "salvage the season" moment. They started the year a miserable 3-5—their worst start in two decades—before rattling off four straight wins to finish 7-5.
Football is a game of inches, sure, but this specific game was a lesson in the cruelty of turnovers and third-down efficiency.
The Stat That Actually Mattered
Everyone wants to talk about Cade Klubnik or the dual-threat capability of Sellers. But the 2025 Clemson South Carolina game was decided by a single, ugly number: 1-for-11. That was South Carolina’s success rate on third down. You simply cannot win a rivalry game when you fail to move the chains ten times out of eleven.
Clemson’s defense, led by Sammy Brown’s nine tackles and T.J. Parker’s three sacks, played a "bend-but-don't-break" style that frustrated the Columbia crowd for three hours. They didn't even allow a third-down conversion until there were two minutes left in the fourth quarter. By then, most of the garnet-clad fans were already heading for the parking lots.
Then there were the turnovers. Four of them.
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South Carolina basically handed the ball over like a holiday gift. Two fumbles and two interceptions. The most back-breaking moment came with just over three minutes left in the game. South Carolina was only down by six. They had the ball. The stadium was shaking. Then, Ricardo Jones stepped in front of a Sellers pass and took it 12 yards to the house. Game over. State championship secured for the Tigers.
Cade Klubnik’s Quiet History
Cade Klubnik didn't have a "Heisman moment" in this game, but he did something more important for his legacy. By completing 24-of-39 passes for 268 yards, he officially passed Charlie Whitehurst for the fourth-most passing yards in Clemson history.
He also did something slightly hilarious. In the second quarter, Klubnik got stripped in the backfield. The ball was on the turf. Instead of a disaster, he scooped it up, realized the play was still alive, and scrambled three yards for a touchdown. It was the kind of "lucky or good?" play that defines this rivalry.
That touchdown put Clemson up 14-7 and they never trailed again.
Why South Carolina Fans Are Frustrated
If you’re a Gamecock, this season feels like a fever dream you can't wake up from. Finishing 4-8 is tough, but losing to your rival at home when you statistically outplayed them is a different kind of pain.
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- Passing: Sellers was airing it out (381 yards).
- Total Yardage: South Carolina 422, Clemson 415.
- The Run Game: This is where the wheels fell off. 41 rushing yards on 19 carries.
You can't be one-dimensional against a Dabo Swinney defense. Clemson knew Sellers had to throw, so they pinned their ears back. They sacked him five times. They forced him into quick decisions. Even though Nyck Harbor had a 53-yard touchdown and Vandrevius Jacobs hauled in a 74-yarder, the lack of a consistent run game meant South Carolina couldn't sustain drives.
The Ricardo Jones Factor
We have to talk about Ricardo Jones. The freshman cornerback didn't just have the pick-six to seal the game; he had two interceptions on the day. It’s rare to see a young player have that much composure in the "Cockpit."
Interestingly, since the game ended, Jones has already committed to Vanderbilt via the transfer portal. It's the new reality of college football. A guy can become a legendary figure in the Clemson South Carolina game history books on a Saturday and be wearing a different jersey a few weeks later.
Wade Woodaz also deserves a shoutout. He broke up a crucial pass on 4th-and-3 earlier in the fourth quarter that basically ended a promising South Carolina drive. It's those little moments—the pass breakups, the fumble recoveries by T.J. Parker—that don't show up in a highlight reel but absolutely dictate who gets the Palmetto Trophy.
What This Means for 2026
Dabo Swinney is now 10-7 against the Gamecocks. After a season of heavy criticism for his "no-portal" stance, this win buys him some breathing room. It’s hard to fire a guy who keeps winning the state, even if the national title hopes have cooled off.
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For Shane Beamer, the seat is getting warm. A 4-8 finish with only one SEC win is not what the boosters in Columbia signed up for. The talent is clearly there—Sellers and Harbor are elite—but the execution on the "money downs" (3rd and 4th) was non-existent.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking back at this game or preparing for the 2026 rematch, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Turnover Margin: Clemson is now 24-0 under Dabo when they are +3 or better in turnovers. In 2025, they were +3. If they don't lose the ball, they don't lose the game.
- The "Six in Columbia" Streak: Clemson has now won six straight games at Williams-Brice Stadium. Home field advantage has officially vanished in this series.
- Keep an eye on the portal: With stars like Ricardo Jones and Khalil Barnes already moving on, both rosters will look radically different by the time spring ball rolls around.
The next Clemson South Carolina game is set for November 28, 2026, at Memorial Stadium. Mark your calendars, because if 2025 taught us anything, it's that the stats lie, but the rivalry always delivers.
Next Steps for Palmetto State Fans:
- Review the full 2026 recruiting classes for both schools to see who is filling the gaps left by the transfer portal.
- Monitor the South Carolina coaching staff changes, particularly on the offensive side, to see how they address the 3rd-down conversion crisis.
- Check the spring game schedules for April 2026 to get your first look at the reconstructed rosters.