Status Quo

CLEMSON — Admittedly, Steve Spurrier might not have understood the depth or passion involved in the Clemson rivalry when he arrived at South Carolina.

Now he gets it.

He's seen what a victory does to rile the USC fan base. He's seen what a pair of losses can do, too, even down to a perceived tipping of the recruiting balance in the Tigers' favor.

In some ways, this is Spurrier's biggest test against Tommy Bowden and Clemson.

With a win, the series is knotted at 2 in the SOS era. A loss, and it's 1-3 and the continuance of recent embarrassment at the Tigers' hands; Clemson has won nine of the past 11, and seven of nine under Bowden.

For Clemson, with a berth in the ACC title game all wrapped up, this is about pride. That's always been

enough in this game, anyway, but surely the Tigers will have plenty of motivation to keep the hated Gamecocks in their death grip.

The breakdown

South Carolina offense vs. Clemson defense

You'd think the Gamecocks could get their offensive line firmly set by the regular season's last game.

They'd better, because Clemson might have the best D-line USC has seen since LSU. End Da'Quan Bowers won't be playing like a freshman by late November.

Ricky Sapp will fly around and show his versatility. Good luck getting through Dorell Scott up the middle.

Tough as the Tigers' line is, the secondary is even better. Probably the best the Gamecocks will see (besides their own).

Safeties Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons are as seasoned as you get. Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler are solid at the corners.

USC's best chance of moving the ball — like in many of the games leading up to Clemson — is finding those tight ends. The Tigers' weak point on defense, if they have one, is at linebacker.

Those unproven guys will have a difficult time matching up with Jared Cook and Weslye Saunders in the open field. Particularly Cook.

Find them enough, and it could open up other things downfield.

Clemson offense vs. South Carolina defense

In three years against Spurrier, the Tigers have put together resilient late-game drives.

In 2005, Clemson converted a first-and-35 on a touchdown march that ended up being the game-winner in a 13-9 victory in Columbia.

A year later in Clemson, the Tigers were down three points and drove from their own 20 to the Gamecocks' 12. They had to settle for a field goal that missed, allowing USC to leave with a 31-28 victory.

Last season, Cullen Harper and Aaron Kelly drove the Tigers 61 yards in the final 2:09, setting up the game-winning field goal by Mark Buchholz.

Those experiences give Clemson confidence it can move the ball on the Gamecocks when it absolutely has to. But moving the ball on this group might prove more difficult than in past years.

The Tigers' young offensive line has endured its share of growing pains this season, even though those pains weren't as dramatic as some people envisioned.

Clemson's front will be in for a stern test against the Gamecocks' line, and new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson could present some mental challenges with his shift-on-the-fly schemes.

Crystal ball

Give Spurrier credit: Even though he's lost two of three to Clemson, he's at least made the Gamecocks competitive with the Tigers.

The three meetings have been decided by a total of nine points. Quite an improvement from the final two years of the Lou Holtz era, when Clemson humiliated USC by a combined score of 92-24 — including that unforgettable 63-17 trouncing in 2003 on the Gamecocks' home turf.

USC's defense is comparable to Clemson's. But frankly, it's not even close on the other side of the ball.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of Spurrier's tenure has been his inability to attract big-time talent at the offensive skill positions.

If Spurrier had a Harper, a James Davis, a C.J. Spiller or a Jacoby Ford, maybe the Gamecocks win this game.

Clemson's got all those guys right now. And it's hard to pick against the Tigers with that kind of advantage.

Clemson bags its first 10-win season since 1990 while beating USC for the 10th time in 12 years. And Bowden continues his mastery of Holtz and Spurrier.

The Gamecocks are in a low place after losing to their rivals yet again. But they'll take the eight wins and the bowl appearance after last year's flameout.

Prediction

Clemson 23, USC 17