That was a devastating last-second 23-21 loss to Clemson and leaves Carolina’s bowl hopes uncertain…do we deserve to go to a bowl?
Key to the Clemson win —-
Well, the Tigers owned the ball, controlling it for 38:37 to just 21:23 for USC. Clemson ran 85 plays for 443 yards, including 214 yards on the ground, while USC had a season-low 52 plays for 364 yards, including just 80 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Corey Boyd is the man and it was good to see McKinley set the record.
Lot’s of questions now though swirling — why was Addison on Kelly at the end of the game b/c it is a mis-match? 3rd and 4 and we call a run play? How did they succeed on 3rd and 18? Why 2 blocked punts? Will there be defensive coaching changes for USC?
But for now, a bowl game could be in the picture but that is uncertain for the gamecocks and here’s why: The SEC looks like it will get two teams in the BCS — the LSU-Tennessee winner in the title game and Georgia. That would place nine of the SEC’s record 10 bowl eligible teams in bowls, with USC (6-6) and Alabama (6-6), a 17-10 loser at Auburn, fighting it out for the final spot likely in the Independence Bowl.
Whoever loses that would have to hope for an at-large berth, and there don’t figure to be too many of those, although one that could be open is the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31 in Fort Worth, Texas, if the PAC-10 gets two teams in the BCS. And that could depend on whether Arizona State (9-2) beats Arizona (5-6) next week at home. Arizona State is No. 6 in the BCS but will likely fall after losing to Southern Cal on Thursday.
For now, USC can only wait (will know next weekend if bowls plans are in the picture) and hope and wonder after finishing the regular season with five straight losses — the most in coach Steve Spurrier’s 18-year career as a head coach.
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