WITH THE WIN...
The 2025 Tigers became the first team in Clemson history to win seven games in a season in which the team started the year with one win or fewer through four games.
Clemson improved to 74-44-4 all-time against South Carolina. Clemson’s 74 all-time wins against South Carolina are the program’s most against any opponent.
Clemson has now led the all-time series with the Gamecocks for 46,398 consecutive days (127 years, 12 days). South Carolina won the series opener in 1896 before Clemson evened the series in 1897. Clemson won the third game in the series on Nov. 17, 1898 to take a 2-1 series lead, a lead Clemson hasn’t relinquished.
Clemson has now won nine of the last 11 games in the series.
Clemson improved its all-time road record against South Carolina to 55-32-3. Clemson’s 55 current road wins at South Carolina are nearly double its most all-time road wins against any other opponent (28 at Wake Forest). The Tigers have more road wins against the Gamecocks in Columbia (55) than they have total wins against all but three programs (South Carolina, 74; Wake Forest, 72; and NC State, 61).
Clemson earned a sixth straight road win against South Carolina for the first time since the 1989-99 seasons. It pulled Clemson within one of the school record for the longest road winning streak by either team in series history (seven by Clemson from 1934-40).
Clemson has now produced its 11th all-time road winning streak of six or more games against a single opponent.
The game marked the sixth consecutive game in the Clemson-South Carolina series won by the road team. The last win by a home team in the series was a 56-35 Clemson win in 2018.
Clemson extended its current road winning streak to four games.
Clemson improved to 9-1 in its last 10 regular season road games.
Clemson (4-1 in road games in 2025) has now won at least four road games in a season for the eighth time since 2015. Its eighth such season ties Clemson with Ohio State and Boise State for the most seasons with four or more road wins in that span.
Clemson improved to 44-10 in true road games since the start of the 2015 season.
Clemson improved to 221-66-13 all-time against foes from the state of South Carolina. Clemson has a winning record against all 12 Palmetto State opponents it has faced all-time.
Clemson improved to 13-6 against SEC opponents in regular season play in the College Football Playoff era.
Clemson is now 26-12 in games against teams to which it lost its last meeting under Dabo Swinney.
Clemson still has not been beaten by the same team in back-to-back years since Florida State did so across a three-year span from 2012-14. Clemson went 3-0 this regular season against teams to which it lost a year ago.
Clemson has now won 37 consecutive games against teams with a losing record, the third-longest active streak in the country. Clemson has not lost to a team with a losing record at the time of kickoff since losing to 2-5 Boston College in 2010.
Clemson finished November with a 4-1 record. It is Clemson's first four-win month since November 2023.
Clemson has now ended a regular season on a winning streak of four or more games for the seventh time in Dabo Swinney's tenure (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025). It is the 26th such regular season in Clemson history.
Clemson improved to 110-20 in regular season play since the start of the 2015 season.
Clemson improved to 146-23 against AP-unranked teams under Dabo Swinney and improved to 123-13 in those games since the start of the 2012 season.
Clemson is now 38-7 in regular season non-conference games since the start of the 2014 season.
Head Coach Dabo Swinney (187-52) tied Joe Paterno and Urban Meyer (187 each) for the fourth-most victories within the first 20 seasons of a head coaching career. Swinney trails only Tom Osborne (195), Nick Saban (191) and Bob Stoops (191) despite Swinney being in only his 18th season (and 17th full season). Note: Stoops and Meyer are not credited on the NCAA's official list of most wins through 20 seasons since they did not coach 20 years.
Swinney matched the career win total of College Football Hall of Famer Urban Meyer (187–32).
Swinney improved to 10-7 all-time against South Carolina.
Swinney joined Frank Howard (13) as the only Clemson coaches to defeat South Carolina 10 times.
Clemson improved to 94-9 when scoring first since the start of the 2015 season. Clemson has scored first in each of its last six games against South Carolina. It has also scored first in each of its last six games at South Carolina.
Clemson is now 79-4 since 2015 when outscoring opponents in the “Middle Eight,” defined as the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half.
Clemson improved to 161-12 under Dabo Swinney when leading at halftime, including a 144-8 mark since the start of the 2011 season.
Clemson is now 151-7 when leading after three quarters since the start of the 2011 season.
Clemson is now 143-12 when totaling more first downs than its opponent since 2011.
Clemson now has a 91-6 record when winning the turnover margin since 2011.
Clemson improved to 44-1 when intercepting multiple passes in a game since the start of the 2015 season.
Clemson is now 73-6 when having a 100-yard rusher since 2011.
Clemson is now 127-3 in its last 130 games when holding teams to fewer than 23 points, a span that dates to the middle of the 2010 season.
GAME NOTES
Clemson recorded four takeaways, its most since the 2023 Gator Bowl against Kentucky.
Clemson’s four takeaways were its most against South Carolina since recording four takeaways in a 2008 win against the Gamecocks. It was Clemson’s first four-takeaway game at South Carolina since 2005.
Clemson won the turnover margin, 4-1. Clemson finished plus-three or better in the turnover margin for the first time since September 2024 against NC State.
Clemson is now 24-0 under Dabo Swinney when finishing plus-three or better in the turnover margin.
Clemson has now held four consecutive opponents to fewer than 20 points for the first time since the final two games of 2021 and first two games of 2022. That four-game streak in 2021-22 started with a 30-0 shutout win against South Carolina in Columbia.
In its last five games at Williams-Brice Stadium, Clemson has surrendered only four touchdowns and only 34 total points to South Carolina.
One year after allowing South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers to rush for 166 yards, Clemson held Sellers to two rushing yards on Saturday.
Clemson did not allow a third-down conversion in the game until the final two minutes. South Carolina finished 1-for-11 on third downs, the fewest third down conversions allowed by Clemson since 2021 against UConn (zero).
Clemson’s 11 pass breakups were its most since 2022 against Louisiana Tech (12).
On its eighth point of the contest, Clemson (2,520) reached 2,500 all-time points scored against South Carolina. The Gamecocks became the first program to surrender 2,500 points all-time to the Tigers.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 24-of-39 passes for 268 yards. He also added 12 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Klubnik (26-13) passed Charlie Whitehurst (25-15) for sole possession of the fifth-most wins by a Clemson starting quarterback since World War II.
Klubnik (2-1) became the 13th Clemson quarterback since 1953 to earn multiple rivalry wins against South Carolina as a starting quarterback, joining Charlie Bussey, Jimmy Addison, Steve Fuller, Homer Jordan, Rodney Williams, DeChane Cameron, Nealon Greene, Woody Dantzler, Charlie Whitehurst, Cullen Harper, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.
On a 25-yard pass on the game’s opening play from scrimmage, Klubnik (9,930) passed Charlie Whitehurst (9,665 from 2002-05) for the fourth-most career passing yards in Clemson history.
On his 15th pass attempt of the game, Klubnik (1,393) passed Charlie Whitehurst (1,368 from 2002-05) for the second-most career pass attempts in Clemson history.
Klubnik recorded his 17th career rushing touchdown in the second quarter. On the play, he was stripped in the backfield while attempting to pass but recovered and advanced the fumble for the touchdown.
With the rushing touchdown, Klubnik (17) moved past Kelly Bryant (16 from 2015-18) for sole possession of the sixth-most rushing touchdowns by a Clemson quarterback since the Tigers moved away from the single wing in 1953.
The rushing touchdown was Klubnik’s third of his career against South Carolina. He became the first Clemson quarterback to post three or more career rushing touchdowns against the Gamecocks since Deshaun Watson’s five from 2014-16.
Clemson has now rushed for multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games for the first time since 2024 against Wake Forest, Virginia and Louisville. Clemson has scored multiple rushing touchdowns in a national-best 78 games since 2018.
Klubnik threw an interception on his eighth pass attempt of the game, ending Clemson’s team streak of 184 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. Prior to the game, Clemson's most recent interception had come on its third-to-last pass attempt at Boston College on Oct. 11 on a throw by Christopher Vizzina.
The interception also ended Klubnik’s personal streak of 122 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. His last interception prior to the game had come on his fourth-to-last pass attempt at Boston College on Oct. 11.
Running back Adam Randall rushed a career-high 24 times for 102 yards with a rushing touchdown.
Randall’s 100-yard rushing game was his fourth of the season and the fourth of his career.
During the contest, Randall became the fourth player in Clemson history to reach 750 career rushing yards and 750 career receiving yards, joining Travis Zachery, C.J. Spiller and Travis Etienne. He now has 823 career rushing yards and 779 career receiving yards.
Randall opened the scoring on a 10-yard rushing touchdown early in the second quarter.
The rushing touchdown was Randall’s ninth of the season and of his career.
Randall’s touchdown gave Clemson at least one rushing touchdown in 96 of its 108 games since the start of the 2018 season. Clemson entered the week tied for the national lead in the category.
Randall added a two-point conversion on a reception in the fourth quarter.
Wide receiver T.J. Moore recorded six receptions for a team-high 101 yards.
The 100-yard receiving game was Moore’s third of the season and fourth of his career.
Moore tied Bryant Wesco Jr.’s team lead in 100-yard receiving games this season (three each).
With the performances by Moore and Randall, Clemson posted its second game of the season with both a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver. It was Clemson’s first such game since the second game of the season against Troy.
Wide receiver Antonio Williams caught a team-high seven receptions for 66 yards.
On his sixth reception of the game, Williams (208) passed DeAndre Hopkins (206 from 2010-12) for fourth on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career receptions.
During the contest, Williams (2,336) passed Derrick Hamilton (2,312 from 2001-03) to move into 11th on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career receiving yards.
In his first career start, tight end Christian Bentancur recorded a career-high five receptions for 51 yards.
Offensive lineman Collin Sadler recorded his first career reception, gaining two yards on a batted ball. It was the first reception for a gain by a Clemson offensive lineman since William Henry’s five-yard reception vs. Furman in 2003.
Clemson recorded five sacks, its third game of the season in which it has reached five or more sacks.
Clemson’s five sacks were its most in a game against South Carolina since its five against the Gamecocks in 2014.
On its second sack of the game, Clemson (33) reached 30 sacks for the 14th consecutive season. Clemson is the only program in the nation to have reached 30 sacks in every year of the College Football Playoff era (since 2014).
Safety Ricardo Jones recorded a career-high two interceptions. He posted Clemson’s first multi-interception game since Andrew Booth Jr.’s two interceptions in the same stadium in a 30-0 win at South Carolina in 2021.
Jones pushed his team lead in interceptions this season to six, the most by a Clemson player since DeAndre McDaniel’s eight interceptions in 2009.
Depending on the results of Saturday’s action, Jones could exit the weekend tied for the national lead in interceptions this season.
Jones returned his second interception of the game 12 yards for a touchdown, the first pick-six of his career.
The pick-six by Jones was Clemson’s first defensive touchdown since Payton Page’s 57-yard interception return for touchdown against The Citadel in November 2024.
Cornerback Avieon Terrell forced the game’s first takeaway by adding to his single-season career high in forced fumbles with his fifth of the season.
Terrell (five) joined Brandon Maye (five in 2009) and T.J. Parker (six in 2024) as the only players in school history to force five fumbles in a single season.
Terrell recorded his eighth career forced fumble to tie linebacker Danny Triplett (eight from 1979-82), middle guard William Perry (eight from 1981-84), defensive tackle Chester McGlockton (eight from 1989-91) and defensive end Malliciah Goodman (eight from 2009-12) for the third-most career forced fumbles in Clemson history.
Terrell added to his Clemson record for career forced fumbles by a defensive back (eight) and has now set the single-season school record in the category as well (five).
The fumble forced by Terrell was recovered by defensive end T.J. Parker.
Parker has now recovered a fumble in back-to-back games for the second time in his career (vs. South Carolina and SMU in 2024).
The fumble recovery was Parker’s career-high third of the season and sixth of his career.
Parker tied Willie Smith (six from 1954-57), Ronnie Ducworth (six from 1966-68), Gene Beasley (six from 1985-88) and Doug Brewster (six from 1987-90) for fourth-most career fumbles recovered in Clemson history.
In addition to the fumble recovery, Parker finished the game with a season-high 3.0 sacks among his four tackles.
With his 3.0 sacks in the contest, Parker (21.5) passed Chester McGlockton (20.5 from 1989-91) for the 10th-most career sacks in Clemson history.
Fittingly, Parker’s 3.0 sacks tied Chester McGlockton (3.0 in 1990) for the most against South Carolina in Clemson history.
Parker’s 3.0 sacks were his second-most in a game in his career, one shy of his 4.0 at Pitt in 2024.
Parker joined Vic Beasley (two) as the only players in the Swinney era to record multiple career games with 3.0 or more sacks.
Defensive end Will Heldt recorded four tackles with a season-high 1.5 sacks and added one pass breakup.
Heldt (7.5) added to his single-season career high in sacks. He leads Clemson in that category this season.
Heldt recorded his seventh sack of the season on a five-yard sack of LaNorris Sellers in the first quarter.
Heldt has now recorded a sack in back-to-back games for the first time since the first two games of the season.
Heldt added another half-sack in the second quarter, splitting a sack with Parker.
Parker added another half-sack in the third quarter, splitting a sack with defensive tackle Stephiylan Green.
Parker recorded two full sacks in the fourth quarter.
Safety Ronan Hanafin helped create Clemson’s fourth takeaway of the game with his second forced fumble of the season and of his career.
The fumble forced by Hanafin was recovered by linebacker Sammy Brown, the first fumble recovery of Brown’s career.
Placekicker Nolan Hauser gave Clemson a 17-14 halftime lead with a 32-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining in the first half.
Hauser added a 42-yard third-quarter field goal, giving him his ninth career multi-field-goal game and his third in a four-game span.
Hauser is now 16-of-19 on field goal attempts this season (84.2 percent). If it stands, it would be the seventh-best field goal percentage in a season by a Clemson player (min. 10 attempts).
Offensive lineman Blake Miller started his 53rd consecutive game to extend his school record for consecutive starts by a non-specialist. Miller has started all 53 games played by Clemson since his arrival as a true freshman in 2022.
Miller (53) moved past kicker Chandler Catanzaro (52 from 2010-13) and defensive tackle Tyler Davis (52 from 2019-23) for sole possession of the fourth-most career starts in Clemson history.
Safety Tyler Venables played his 62nd career game to pass defensive end Xavier Thomas (61 from 2018-23) for sole possession of the eighth-most games played in Clemson history.
Clemson faced an opponent from the state of South Carolina for the 300th time in school history. Clemson's all-time Palmetto State opponents include South Carolina (122 games), Furman (59), The Citadel (40), Presbyterian (40), Wofford (16), Erskine (eight), Newberry (six), SC State (five), Charleston Southern (one), Coastal Carolina (one), Camp Sevier (one) and Port Royal (one).
Clemson scored in its 306th consecutive game to tie the 1992-2017 Air Force Falcons for the 11th-longest streak in the NCAA's FBS record book.
Clemson faced its second SEC opponent of the season. Clemson has faced multiple SEC teams in 19 of the last 20 years, dating to 2006. The lone exception came in 2020 when the SEC opted out of non-conference play amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Captains for the contest were defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, quarterback Cade Klubnik, wide receiver Antonio Williams and defensive tackle Peter Woods.
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