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ESPN SP+ Predicts Outcome of Top 25 Rivalry Matchup Between South Carolina-Clemson

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Nov 24, 2024 7:22 PM ET

A potential spot in the College Football Playoff will be on the line in Week 14 as the No. 17 Clemson Tigers (9-2) take on the No. 18 South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3) in a regular season finale.

Both programs will likely rise in the playoff rankings when unveiled on Tuesday night thanks to missteps by No. 5 Indiana, No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 14 BYU, No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 16 Colorado.

The Palmetto Bowl has been dominated by Dabo Swinney's Tigers over the last decade. Clemson has won eight of the last nine meetings, including a 16-7 victory in Columbia last season.

But the Gamecocks are much improved from a year ago. After finishing 5-7 in 2023, Shane Beamer and company have put together an eight-win season with marquee victories over Texas A&M and Missouri.

ESPN's SP+ computer model predicts Clemson-South Carolina to be an extremely competitive contest, with Clemson coming out on top by 1-point, 27-26. Interestingly enough, the last time the two met at Clemson resulted in a 31-30 win by the Gamecocks in 2022.

Perhaps the most important matchup will be between the South Carolina defensive front and the Clemson offensive line tasked with protecting star quarterback Cade Klubnik. The junior sits second in the ACC in passing touchdowns (29) against four interceptions, while the Gamecocks' front ranks second in the SEC with 39 sacks this season.

There is no love lost between the two in this rivalry, but the weight of a potential playoff berth has added an intriguing wrinkle to the Palmetto Bowl in 2024.

Kickoff is set for Saturday at noon ET (ESPN). The Tigers are listed as 2.5-point home favorites, per ESPN BET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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