Braggin' Rights Barometer

South Carolina 16 / Clemson 10

The way it works

The tradition-rich BRB predicts what to expect from a mythical Clemson-South Carolina game each week leading up to the actual Braggin’ Rites clash on Nov. 28 in Columbia. The toolbox includes computers, game analysis, long-range weather reports and a hunch.

The set-up

C.J. Spiller is as much a one-man show as exists in college football. The good news: It was fun watching him rack up 227 all-purpose yards on Saturday. Not so good: Aside from Jacoby Ford, no one else did much in a 14-10 loss to No. 15 Texas Christian. Or consider that Spiller and kicker Richard Jackson have scored all of Clemson’s points two games in a row.

South Carolina merely is coming off the first home victory over a top-five team in school history. Of course, Mississippi was way overrated. But it’s pretty clear the Gamecocks, with two pointspread upsets already, were solidly underrated.

The vibe

South Carolina has played better two games in a row, is 3-1 and is entering another 3-1 schedule stretch: S.C. State, Kentucky, at Alabama, Vanderbilt.

But season-ending injuries are softening the middle of the Gamecocks’ defense as South Carolina has lost one starter per Thursday night victory (Rodney Paulk and Travian Robertson). Clemson, 2-2 overall and atop the ACC’ s fragile Atlantic Division at 1-1, needs both a win and a bolt of improvement on offense during its trip to Maryland. At least it probably won’t rain.

Previous scores

Last week: Clemson 18, USC 14

Sept. 14: Clemson 31, USC 30

Sept. 7: Clemson 21, USC 16

Aug. 31: Clemson 24, USC 14