Clemson rounded out the 2008 regular season on a high note, defeating the rival Gamecocks from South Carolina 31-14 in Death Valley over Thanksgiving weekend. The final score was not even indicative of how lopsided the game really was. If not for some bonehead fumbles and a couple of missed field goals, the margin of victory would have been much greater. The defense picked off Carolina QB Chris Smelley four times, and the offense capitalized by turning that into three touchdowns. It was obvious that Clemson's goal on offense was to run the ball right down the Gamecocks' throat, and they more than succeeded. James Davis and C.J. Spiller combined for almost 180 yards on 40 carries. Davis, one of Clemson's finest players in recent memory, ran in 3 more touchdowns on Senior Day, leaving him just one behind the school record.
The win marked a great turnaround for the Tigers, who won 4 of their last 5 games under coach Dabo Swinney to qualify for a bowl game. The victory over the arch rival Gamecocks might have cemented Swinney's position as the next permanent head coach. As the final seconds ran off, the players lifted a Gatorade-soaked Soaked onto their shoulders as he was serenaded with cheers of "Da-bo Swin-ney!" from the student section. It was the opposite feeling for Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, as he fell to 1-3 against Clemson. It only continues the trend of USC becoming the place where good coaches go to die. The Tigers will begin preparing for their upcoming bowl game and look to quickly determine their future head coach. The next few weeks will be very important in shaping the next 5-10 years of Clemson's football program.
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