Clemson's last-ditch effort thwarted by Carolina interception

Clemson needed a win today to have any chance to play in the College Football Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Tigers fell short against South Carolina 17-14.

The defense is good for most of the game. But Gamecock's quarterback LaNorris Sellers almost single-handedly beat Clemson today. He wasn't great through the air, going 13-21 for 164 yards. But he was able to avoid multiple sacks and either completing the pass or running for big-chunk players.

Inevitably, it was Sellers' legs that hurt the Tigers. He scored both of their touchdowns on broken plays with electric runs.

Cade Klubnik tried to go toe-to-toe with Sellers, rushing for 62 yards and two touchdowns. However, Carolina's defense was stingy in the running game. It held Clemson to 139 yards. Clemson did have 280 yards through the air, but 42 came on the Tigers' last-ditch effort to keep the game alive.

After Sellers scored the go-ahead touchdown, Clemson drove down the field in a few seconds. It looked like the Tigers were about to pull off a comeback for the history books. However, with less than 20 ticks left on the clock, Klubnik made his first mistake of the day, throwing behind his intended receiver for a USC interception.

The Tigers won't make the CFP, but they still have a bowl game to look forward to. Tiger fans will learn about where Clemson will play shortly after the conference championships are played.