South Carolina football vs Clemson scouting report, score prediction for Palmetto Bowl

COLUMBIA — It's rivalry week in Columbia, and the stakes couldn't be higher for South Carolina football when Clemson comes to Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Gamecocks (5-6) need a victory over the Tigers (7-4) on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) to reach the six-win bowl eligibility threshold, while Clemson is looking to avenge last season's 31-30 upset that ended its 40-game home winning streak and eliminated the program from College Football Playoff contention. South Carolina has not won the rivalry at home since 2013.

The Palmetto Bowl has been played every year since 1909 except the 2020 COVID-19 season, and Clemson leads the all-time series 72-43-4. The Gamecocks ended their longest losing streak in series history last season, and they are 32-53-3 all-time when hosting the Tigers.

History of the South Carolina-Clemson rivalry

It's been a long time since the Palmetto Bowl rivalry felt evenly matched: Clemson won seven in a row from 2014-21, but the Gamecocks won the five before that from 2009-13. South Carolina's one-point victory in 2022 was the first single-digit win for either team since Clemson won by five in 2015, and it was the narrowest margin of victory since a 21-21 in 1986.

Saturday's matchup will be the first time bowl eligibility is on the line for either team since the modern criteria was introduced in 2006, and Clemson looks as vulnerable as it has in over a decade. The Tigers are poised to finish outside of the final AP Top 25 for the first time since 2010 and have lost four ACC games for the first time since 2008. However, the Gamecocks have not upset Clemson when entering the matchup below .500 since 1992.

Running backs anchor Tigers offense on the rise

Clemson floundered offensively at the beginning of the season, but the Tigers have hit their stride in recent weeks with at least 30 points in each of their last three games. Star running back Will Shipley led Clemson to a win over North Carolina last week with 126 yards and a touchdown, but Phil Mafah proved himself equally capable with 186 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame while Shipley was out with an injury. Mafah leads the team with 837 rush yards in 11 games, and Shipley isn't far behind with 738 in 10.

The wide receiver room is Clemson's biggest question mark. Top target Beaux Collins is questionable with a torn plantar fascia. Collins is the only receiver with at least 500 yards this season, and freshman Greenville native Tyler Brown is the next closest with 479.

Clemson defense fueled by elite linebackers

The Tigers rank No. 10 in the country in total defense, giving up an average of 288.6 yards per game. The star of the unit is linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who will likely be an All-American with 82 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and six pass breakups this season. He is complemented by Barrett Carter, who has seven TFLs, two sacks, three breakups and six quarterback pressures in 10 starts.

Clemson also boasts depth on the defensive line that poses a major challenge to South Carolina's banged-up offensive front. Freshman TJ Parker has started jus three games but has 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks plus seven quarterback pressures, and defensive end Xavier Thomas leads the team with 18 quarterback pressures. The Gamecocks have given up the second-most sacks in the SEC this season with 39.

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Prediction

Clemson 28, South Carolina 21: The Tigers are a bad matchup with strengths in every area where South Carolina is weak. The home crowd keeps the Gamecocks competitive, but a late touchdown from Shipley seals it.

Follow South Carolina football reporter Emily Adams on X @eaadams6 and subscribe to The Greenville News for exclusive Gamecocks content: https://subscribe.greenvilleonline.com/offers.

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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football score prediction vs Clemson: Scouting report