After securing bowl eligibility, Gamecocks turn attention to Clemson

South Carolina’s players wasted little time following Saturday’s bowl eligibility-securing 44-31 victory over Western Carolina to begin the chatter about the biggest game of the season – Saturday night’s nationally televised Palmetto Bowl at Clemson (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

Will Muschamp has been deeply involved in the Iron Bowl, Sunshine State Showdown between Florida and Florida State, Texas-Texas A&M and other rivalry games throughout his 20-year coaching career, but this week marks his first foray into USC-Clemson.

“We’re looking forward to being a part of it,” Muschamp said. “I know it’s important to our guys. They were talking about it in the locker room. We’ll prepare the right way for this game. We look forward to it.”

Two years ago, the Gamecocks suffered an embarrassing 35-17 loss to Clemson in which a one-legged freshman quarterback named DeShaun Watson led the Tigers to their first win over USC since 2008. The Gamecocks had no sacks or quarterback pressures on Watson, who was barely touched all game long despite his limited mobility.

Today, Watson is a Heisman Trophy contender and looking to lead Clemson to its second consecutive appearance in the four-team playoff.

“He’s not just a good player, he’s a great player,” Muschamp said. “He’s a guy that’s up for the Heisman and if they give it to him, they’re not making a mistake. He’s really good. He’s a guy we have a lot of respect for. We are going to have to play extremely well in the ballgame defensively.”

Since 78 of the 115 players on the Gamecocks roster (67.8 pct.) are freshmen or sophomores, the majority of the current players have little or no experience playing at Clemson. As with anything, that could work for or against the Gamecocks Saturday night.

“They are the No. 4 team in the country, so we have to give them credit,” Gamecock tight end Hayden Hurst said. “They’re winning ballgames. When we get back in here on Tuesday, we’ll begin watching tape on them and start getting ready.”

Both teams have played a lot of fourth quarter games this games this year. Clemson has managed to survive in the playoff race by making plays down the stretch, combined with a little good fortune (see NC State game). For the Gamecocks, the fourth quarters have been up-and-down, one reason they hold a 6-5 record.

“We’ve kept a little bit of an eye on them, and they‘ve had some close games,” Gamecock LB Jonathan Walton said. “In the SEC, you always have close games. We feel like we’re going to come in there prepared just like any other game.”

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Mason Zandi grew up a Gamecock fan in Chapin, so playing his final regular season game in the Upstate against Clemson will be special.

“It’s huge,” Zandi said. “I love this university. Ever since I was five years old, all I wanted to do was play here. I didn’t grow up with a great taste in my mouth about those guys up there. I didn’t get to play last year because of an injury, so we’ll prepare the right way and go up there and play Gamecock football.”

Due in part to a shortage of team speed, the Gamecocks struggled tackling in space in last weekend’s victory over Western Carolina, and allowed 200 or more yards rushing to an opponent for the fifth time this season.

“We have to tackle better,” Muschamp said. “(Against WCU) we had guys in position to tackle. But you have to wrap and run your feet. Our guys have been coached that. Sometimes we have to continue doing a better job as far as those things are concerned. They are going to create a lot of space plays too. We have to make tackles in space against opponents like this. This week it will be another issue.”

After struggling along with the entire Gamecocks offense at Florida, freshman Jake Bentley makes his second career road start. After his initial setback, Muschamp said he hoped Bentley learned lessons about playing on the road that would help him in the future.

“As much as anything, we have to play well around him,” Muschamp said. “Certainly, he will prepare the right way to play well against a very good football team. We have to protect him, we have to block well up front, we have to get something going in the run game.

“When you don’t get anything going in the run game, it becomes a one-dimensional game against a really good defense. And Clemson has a really good defense just like Florida. If we play well around him, that will settle him down a little bit.”

Zandi is confident Bentley will be ready, well prepared and able to handle what should be a raucous nighttime atmosphere at Clemson.

“I’ll have a few words for Jake, but he is an extremely mature guy even though he should be a senior in high school,” Zandi said. “He handles himself very well. Coach (Kurt) Roper does a phenomenal job coaching him up. Jake will get mentally ready on his own because that is the maturity level he has.”