Cade Klubnik threw for 268 yards and Ricardo Jones sealed the game with a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown as Clemson defeated South Carolina 28-14 on Saturday at Columbia, S.C.
Klubnik completed 24 of 39 passes with no touchdowns and one interception, Antonio Williams had seven receptions for 66 yards and T.J. Moore had six catches for 101 yards for the Tigers (7-5).
LaNorris Sellers completed 23 of 42 passes for 381 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Gamecocks (4-8).
Sellers completed touchdown passes of 53 yards and 74 yards in the first half, but with the Tigers clinging to a 20-14 lead with 3:20 left, he tried to dump off a short pass under pressure and Jones intercepted it and made it to the end zone.
The Tigers led 17-14 at halftime while dominating time of possession 21:44-8:16. The Gamecocks only ran 19 offensive plays in the first half.
After a scoreless first quarter, Kubnik drove Clemson 78 yards in the seven plays for a 7-0 lead. Adam Randall bounced off right tackle and scored from 10 yards out for a 7-0 Clemson lead.
Sellers wasted little time getting the score back, finding Nyck Harbor wide open for a 53-yard scoring strike for a 7-7 tie.
Klubnik came right back to drive the Tigers 85 yards in 11 plays.
A 21-yard strike to Turner and a facemask call against the Gamecocks gave Clemson first down on the SC 10. Three plays later, Klubnik was nearly sacked when Bryan Thomas blasted through and slapped the ball out of his hand. The ball bounced right back up to Kulnik who sprinted around the left end to make it 14-7 with 5:48 left in the half.
Sellers wasted even less time tying it this time.
He threw high to Vandrevius Jacobs in the flat and he went up over two defenders to make the catch and took off on a spring into the end zone for a 74-yard touchdown and a 14-14 tie.
