Clemson is set to play under the lights on Saturday night in what should be a thrilling Palmetto Bowl between the Tigers (7-4) and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Before falling to the Gamecocks 31-30 last November, the Tigers had won seven straight rivalry games against South Carolina dating back to 2014. But despite that win streak and a 72-43-4 all-time record versus the in-state rival, the Gamecocks hold claim to the Palmetto Trophy and have bragging rights over Clemson.
Avenging last year’s loss and preventing the Gamecocks (5-6) from winning their sixth game and becoming bowl-eligible only adds even more energy and excitement to the rivalry game.
That said, here are five Clemson players to keep a close eye on when the Tigers and Gamecocks kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Cade Klubnik, Quarterback
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Klubnik has had some growing pains in his first year as the Tigers’ starting signal-caller, but he will face his toughest environment yet on Saturday. Not only are the Gamecocks playing for the Palmetto Trophy, but they are also vying for bowl eligibility with a win over Clemson. Those stakes, plus the primetime matchup, create some added pressure for the sophomore quarterback, who is looking to lead Clemson to its fourth straight win. South Carolina is giving up 259.5 passing yards per game this season, setting up Klubnik to have success through the air. That said, turnovers have been an issue for this year’s offense, so the biggest priority is to keep the ball out of harm’s way.
Xavier Thomas, Defensive End
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With just 20 total tackles and two sacks on the year, Thomas may not have the statistics to put him among the top edge rushers in the country, but he has been one of the Tigers’ best pass rushers this year. In last week’s game against North Carolina, the sixth-year defender forced multiple penalties and was…
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