According to CollegeFootballNews.com this game below is also one of the 100 Greatest Games of All Time. What do you think??? Personally, this one was before my time so I don’t have any thoughts on it but again we lost this “great” game.
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No. 67 – Clemson 31 … South Carolina 27
October 19, 1977
At the time: Clemson was in the midst of a solid 7-2-1 season in the first year under head coach Charley Pell highlighted by a 21-17 loss the previous week to eventual national champion Notre Dame. South Carolina was struggling losing five of its previous seven games and needed a win to keep bowl hopes alive.
The setup: Clemson roared out to a 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter, but South Carolina bounced back with a 77-yard touchdown run from Spencer Clark followed up by two Steve Dorsey touchdown runs to cut the Tiger lead to four (because of a missed two point conversion) with seven minutes to play. Clemson couldn’t punt the ball all game long and it became a problem late giving the Gamecocks great field position. USC took advantage as Philip Logan made a leaping grab for a 40-yard touchdown and a 27-24 lead with 1:39 to play. QB Steve Fuller led the Tigers into scoring range with two big passes, but time was running out.
The ending: On first down from the USC 20, Clemson WR Jerry Butler broke off his pattern and was wide open in the clear, but Fuller’s pass sailed and appeared to be well out of Butler’s reach. The Tiger receiver leapt up and was able to grab the ball with both hands while falling backwards. He landed in the end zone and hung on for a spectacular 20-yard touchdown with :49 to play. South Carolina couldn’t complete a pass on its final drive.
How they ended up: Clemson went on to play Pittsburgh in the Gator Bowl for the school’s first post-season game since 1959. The Panthers won 34-3 dropping the Tigers to 8-3-1. South Carolina didn’t go to a bowl, but it did get to travel to Hawaii for the season finale losing 24-7 to finish 5-7.
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