Orange rush

By Joseph Person
The State
Published: November 20, 2005

USC changed from one future Hall-of-Fame coach to another but could not change the outcome of what is fast becoming a one-sided rivalry.

Clemson overcame a first-and-35 in the fourth quarter on the game's only touchdown drive Saturday to defeat the 19th-ranked Gamecocks 13-9 in front of a crowd of 83,368 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Clemson (7-4) has won four in a row and eight of the past nine meetings with the Gamecocks, the best stretch in the 103-year series history since the Tigers took eight of nine between 1934-42.

"I don't think this is domination," said Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, who improved to 6-1 against the Gamecocks. "I know those statistics sound impressive, but I don't think that we'll have any trouble next year televising this game."

The loss snapped USC's five-game winning streak and was the Gamecocks' first in seven weeks.

The Gamecocks (7-4) learned before the game that they did not win the SEC East title because Georgia beat Kentucky. Then they lost the state championship in Steve Spurrier's series debut.

"They made a touchdown and we didn't, and that's how they won the game," Spurrier said.

James Davis' 2-yard touchdown run with 5:58 left capped an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive in which the Tigers appeared buried at their 22-yard line following clipping and holding penalties by guard Chip Myrick on successive plays.

But Charlie Whitehurst completed three passes in a row, the last a 28-yard strike to Curtis Baham on third-and-12 for a first down at the Gamecocks' 27. The Tigers then turned to Davis, who had a 23-yard run and a 2-yard rush before his touchdown.

"We kept thinking, 'We'll stop them this time. We'll stop them next time,' " USC free safety Chris Hampton said. "Then they got the whole 35."

"At the end, put the game in Charlie Whitehurst's hands and he comes through," added Bowden, who was 5-1 against former USC coach Lou Holtz.

Whether he spends 10 years in the NFL or 10 days, Whitehurst will always have the USC game to remember.

Times four.

Whitehurst did not post the huge numbers he is accustomed to against the Gamecocks, but he did enough. The senior from Duluth, Ga., became the first quarterback to go 4-0 in series history.

"I kind of downplayed it early. It's a team honor. I guess my name gets put on it," said Whitehurst, who was 17 of 26 passing for 172 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions. "It's the sweetest feeling I've ever known in sports."

After Davis' score, the Tigers twice intercepted USC quarterback Blake Mitchell. The Gamecocks got the ball back after the first pick when receiver Sidney Rice stripped the ball from safety C.J. Gaddis and the Gamecocks recovered at their 39 with 5:38 left.

Six plays later, defensive end Nathan Bennett picked off a deflected Mitchell pass near midfield. This time Clemson did not give it back, running out the final 2:26 when Whitehurst picked up 10 yards on third-and-nine.

USC led 6-3 at halftime on two field goals by Josh Brown. Jad Dean's career-long, 49-yard field goal put the Tigers on the board in what was the first touchdown-less half in the series since 1980.

After getting outgained 251-84 in total yardage in the first half, Clemson stopped motioning its receivers because the Gamecocks were slanting toward the motion. The result was 118 rushing yards and an eight-minute edge in time of possession in the second half.

Both teams finished with 347 yards, but the difference was third-down production. While USC converted 3-of-12 of its third-down opportunities, Clemson was 9-of-14.

"They made a ton of third-and-8s and third-and-10s," Spurrier said. "We forced two punts all game. . . . We just couldn't get them off the field."

Davis, a freshman from Atlanta, finished with 145 yards on 27 carries, both career highs.

USC's Mike Davis, a freshman from Columbia, countered with 111 yards on 22 carries for the Gamecocks' first 100-yard rushing game this season.

Clemson forced Mitchell into four turnovers, including a career-high three interceptions.

Fittingly, the game ended with the ball in the hands of Whitehurst. After his game-sealing draw on the final series, Whitehurst held the ball in the air and began to pump his arms.

"That's as much emotion as I've ever shown on the field," he said. "There were so many emotions. You know the game's over."

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson@thestate.com.'

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