What Dabo Swinney said about South Carolina's win over Tennessee

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney made it home from his team’s win over Miami on Saturday in time to watch much of rival South Carolina’s game against Tennessee.

The Gamecocks were three-touchdown underdogs but stunned the 5th-ranked Vols Saturday night, winning 63-38 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Swinney spoke about South Carolina’s performance during his teleconference Sunday night. Up next, the Tigers will host the Gamecocks this weekend.

“I got to watch a good bit of it once I got home and man, they just played great. The quarterback played outstanding,” Swinney said. “Guys made plays. A lot of energy. That’s a tough place to play, a tough place to go play, and the next thing you know it’s up against you and momentum is a powerful thing in games like that.”

South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler passed for 438 yards and six touchdowns against the Vols. He will come to Clemson confident after playing the best game of his career.

The Gamecocks finished with 606 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on nine of their 10 possessions.

It was a stunning performance by a South Carolina team that had struggled on offense for much of the season.

“They just really, really played a complete ballgame in all facets, and then as they got going they just kept pouring it on,” Swinney said.

“Tennessee, it just wasn’t their night, and you’ve gotta give South Carolina all the credit for that. They just played a really, really complete game in all facets. A lot of big plays, and their quarterback was just outstanding.”

While South Carolina’s offense played well on Saturday, it will get a tougher test against a Clemson defense that has been dominant as of late.

The Tigers held Miami to only 98 total yards this past weekend, playing their best game of the season.

Clemson is going for its eighth straight win against the Gamecocks and enters as a 14.5-point favorite.

“This is a game it doesn’t matter what your records are. It doesn’t matter if you’re coming off three big wins in a row or three big losses in a row. This is a game that you just throw all of that stuff out,” Swinney said. “It’s all about this game, not what you’ve done throughout the year, not what you’ve done last year, or whatever. Or what’s coming after this. It’s really all about how you play in these four quarters.”