South Carolina vs. Clemson: Palmetto Bowl scouting report, prediction

COLUMBIA – South Carolina has already knocked off Florida and Auburn in the same season for the first time ever. Why not take down instate rival Clemson as well?

That’ll be the challenge first-year coach Shane Beamer, who will lead his Gamecocks (6-5) to try and pull off the upset inside a sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network). The Palmetto Bowl was not played a season ago for the first time in 111 years.

What will it take for South Carolina to snap its six-game losing streak to the Tigers from the Upstate?

'Projections were false': South Carolina proves doubters wrong with bowl-clinching win

South Carolina needs more out of QB Jason Brown

No one can take it away from him: In Brown’s first three starts as a Gamecocks, he helped guide the team to wins over Florida and Auburn.

But USC offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said Wednesday that the offense will need more from the senior transfer quarterback from a playmaking standpoint against Brent Venables and his Clemson defense.

USC coaches vs. Clemson: How first-year South Carolina football coaches have fared against rival Clemson

Brown attempted 24 passes against Florida and completed 14 for 175 yards with two touchdowns. Against Auburn, he threw for three scores but passed only 15 times, completing 10 throws for 157 yards. The Tigers are expected to stack the box to slow the run game led by ZaQuandre White, and Brown’s ability to stretch the field vertically will be key.

If Cam Smith can’t play, USC corners must sustain momentum vs. Clemson WRs

Top cornerback Cam Smith went down early last week against Auburn with a knee injury. Beamer has said Smith has practiced some this week but has been limited in action, listing him as questionable to play Saturday.

If Smith can’t go, the duty will fall on Marcellas Dial and Darius Rush to stay close to Clemson’s wideouts. Dial finished with four tackles and a pass breakup last week while Rush put together one of his best performances on the season batting down two passes against Auburn’s speedy receivers.

The corner duo will need a duplicate outing to give South Carolina a chance against Clemson.

South Carolina Gamecocks DL’s advantage

The injuries and issues the Tigers have navigated along the offensive line this season have been well documented. The matchup between Clemons’ patchwork line and the Gamecocks’ defensive line, captained by potential first-round NFL draft pick Kingsley “J.J.” Enagbare, is where USC has a distinct advantage.

40 years ago: Former Clemson football standout recalls memorable day vs. South Carolina

Unlike the Tigers along the offensive line, the Gamecocks have used the same starting four defensive linemen all season and Enagbare, Jabari Ellis, Zacch Pickens and Aaron Sterling have fed off each other. Each have at least a half a sack – Pickens, who played at T.L. Hanna, leads the team with 3.5 sacks – and the quartet have combined for 17.5 tackles for loss this season.

The disruption USC can cause up front for Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei will be vital in the team’s pursuit to upset the Tigers.

South Carolina vs. Clemson prediction

Clemson is an 11.5-point favorite over the Gamecocks. At home in front of sold-out crowd, a game two years in the making, with Beamer continuing to find magic, take the points and South Carolina to win outright. South Carolina 19, Clemson 13

Cory Diaz covers the South Carolina Gamecocks for The Greenville News as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his work for all things Gamecocks on Twitter: @CoryDiaz_TGN

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina vs. Clemson: Palmetto Bowl scouting report, prediction