The Times and Democrat from Orangeburg, South Carolina • 12

i ports T1E imea unh Democrat Page 12A, Orangeburg, S.C.. Sunday, November 20, 1977 Clemson Dashes USC Comeback Try, 31-27 TFTitmm ill 1 4 0 By ED ROWLAND Associated Press Writer COLUMBIA. S.C. (AP) "You've been wanting some respectability." Clemson Coach Charley Pell told his team after they narrowly defeated crossstate rival South Carolina 31-27 in college football Saturday. "Well, Pittsburgh was national champion last year, and now you're going to get a crack at them," Pell said as the Tigers, who had losing seasons in 1975 and 1976, accepted an invitation to play the Panthers in the Gator Bowl.

John Lanahan, selection committee chairman for the Gator Bowl, told the Tigers in their dressing room immediately after their electrifying finish over South Carolina that lOthranked Pittsburgh had accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl an hour earlier. "I heard a lot about the Clemson-South Carolina game," Lanahan said. "But I didn't believe any of it until I saw it tonight." Clemson quarterback Steve Fuller threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to split end Jerry Butler with 49 seconds to play to give Clemson the victory. Logan for a touchdown to put South Carolina ahead for the only time, 27-24. The Clemson victory gave the Tigers a 8-2-1 record, while the Gamecocks fell to 5-6.

Clemson dominated the game between the cross-state rivals until late in the third period when the Gamecocks solved the riddle of the Tiger defense and got on the scoreboard with the game's most spectacular play, a 77-yard touchdown run by Spencer Clark. The Tigers scored the second time they had the ball with diminutive Warren Ratchford diving over from the 4 to cap an 11-play, 90-yard march. Two South Carolina errors set up the other first-half scores. Clemson's Roy Eppes picked off a Bass pass that led to an 18-yard field goal by Obed Ariri. A fumble recovery at the Clemson 33 on the Gamecocks' next possession started a 67yard, 14-play march climaxed by a 1-yard Lester Brown dive for a touchdown early in the second period.

Ken Callicutt raced 52 yards for a score before the Gamecocks got on track behind the signal-calling of Ron Bass. FULLER SCRAMBLES Clemson's Steve Fuller (4) scrambles for yardage as USC's David Presioso (50) and Lance Garret (21) make the stop. Fuller guided the Tigers to a dramatic 31-27 win over the arch-rival Gamecocks. Photo by James Gressette) Tigers Have Learned How To Come Back, Says Pell we knew we had a lot to learn yet about winning," a visibly tired Pell said. "We learned a great deal about ourselves today.

And I got a few more gray hairs. "This comeback win meant a lot to us going into the bowl. We've proved now we can do it. The first-year Clemson coach called the Gator Bowl matchup between the Tigers and defending national champion Pittsburgh "one of the best in any bowl. We've both got common losses to Notre Dame, and it'll be a real quarterback shootout 1 JiiU ji fit 10 07 07 731 00 00 07 2027 Clem Ratchford 4 run 1 Ariri kick) Clem KG Ariri 18 Clem Brown 1 run Ariri kick! Clem Callicutt 52 run i Ariri kick I SC-Clark 77 run i Parrish kick SO Dorsey 11 run (Parrish kike) SC Dorsey 1 run pass failed i SC Logan 40 pass from Bass (Parrish kick I Clem Butler 20 pass from Fuller (Ariri kick I So.Carolina 18 17 51-114 52-250 First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Return Yards Passes Punts Fumbles-Lost Penal ties-Yards 178 49 20-14-0 6-30 3-2 149 2 20-8-2 440 3-2 51 543 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RUSHING Clemson, Ratchford 13-77.

South Carolina, Clark 18-157. RECEIVING Clemson, Weddington 4- 64. South Carolina, Logan 3-98. PASSING Clemson, Fuller 20-14-0, 178. South Carolina, Bass 20-8-2, 149.

The 15th-ranked Tigers saw their 24-0 lead vanish in a furious South Carolina attack that put 27 points on the board late in the game, televised regionally. But steady Fuller propelled the Tigers on a 67yard march in the final two minutes before hitting Butler with the game-winning pass. With two minutes to play, Ron Bass passed 40 yards to Phil Man Fuller Directs (mm STEVE FULLER "We didn't expect them to come back like that," he said of a 20-point South Carolina fourth-quarter. "When we got the big lead, I guess we kind of relaxed. But we kept our heads and made the last drive work." SOUTH BEND, Ind.

(AP)-Notre Dame officially accepted a bid Saturday night to play in the Cotton Bowl after defeating Air Force, 49-0. The Irish waited nearly three hours after their triumph, then made the announcement when Texas held a 29-7 lead over Baylor in the fourth quarter. AYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) The University of Arkansas Saturday accepted a bid to play in the Jan. 2 Orange Bowl against the Big Eight champion.

The Orange Bowl Committee extended the invitation that was accepted by Coach Lou Holtz and several of the Clemson So. Carolina Bowl EARLY TIGER IIMTERCEPTION Clemson defensive back Roy Epps (25) returns a Ron Bass pass he picked off early in the annual clash in Columbia Saturday. The return led to an Obed Ariri goal which gave Clemson a 10-0 lead. Photo by James Gressette) By BOB GILLESPIE Sports Editor COLUMBIA, S. C.

"Now we've learned how to come back," said Clemson coach Charley Pell. Very few of the 56,410 spectators at Wrilliams-Brice Stadium Saturday afternoon would argue with that statement after Pell's Tigers pulled off a 31-27 come-from-behind win over archrival South Carolina in what must rank as one of the most exciting games in the long series. The win had to impress Gator Bowl scouts, who had earlier designated Clemson the host team in the Dec. 30 postseason contest. The Tigers will meet lOth-ranked Pittsburgh in that game.

Ironically, the announcement of the Gator Bowl's decision came as Clemson took a 24-7 lead after three quarters. Then Gator officials had to sit and squirm as South Carolina roared back to take the lead on three final-period touchdowns. Tiger quarterback Steve Fuller became the man of the hour, however, calmly leading Clemson 67 yards in just 59 seconds of playing time and tossing a 20-yard scoring strike to ace receiver Jerry Butler to pull out the victory with just 49 seconds left in the game. For awhile, it looked like South Carolina would win the comeback award. The Gamecocks dominated the fourth period, scoring three times to erase a 24-7 Clemson lead and take a 27-24 edge with just 1:48 left.

But Clemson was equal to the task. Fuller fired to Rick Weddington for 26 yards on a crucial third-down situation, then hit Dwight Clark for 18 more to set up the game-winning toss to Butler. "After the fourth-quarter loss last week (to Notre Dame, 21-17), mmm.Zl W.f between Pitt's (Matt) Cavanaugh. "This (the bowl invitation) is a new experience for us. But we'll be ready for the big game come Dec.

30." Pell said he didn't know during the game that Clemson had received the bid. "We knew we were in the running, but we didn't make a big case of it. We told the players we had to earn it, and they did." Pell praised South Carolina for (See TIGERS HAVE, Page 13A) Western Athletic Conference champion in the Dec. 25 Fiesta Bowl, bowl officials said Saturday. RALEIGH, N.C.

(AP) -North Carolina State accepted an invitation Saturday to play in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31. Peach Bowl officials did not immediately indicate who would be N.C. State's opponent. ORLANDO, Fla.

(AP) -Florida State and Texas Tech accepted invitaions Saturday to play in the Dec. 23 Tangerine Bowl, bowl officials said. J'V'f fl IS GN9 BASS PASS South Carolina quarterback Ron Bass (10) gets off a pass against Clemson Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. Bass engineered a Gamecock comeback that fell short, as the Tigers won 31-27. Photo by Dean Livingston Jr.) The Ice Cool Z'hL.

IcnrM Suiter 5. C. Steve Full-. rr.cM.ii han it Cler.a.-.r. iiter v.ft M.ir..

vr-- in i -ae ca-iiac "i of a Carolir-i 7 Isr the I lea-ig the Tigers 57-yar-i scoring drive tl'-a pll.d out a 21-27 decision and ser.t Cerrri into the Dec. 30 Gator Eoi with a final 8-2-1 record. The statistics show Clemson's junior quarterback with 14 completions in 20 attempts for 178 yards and a touchdown. What they don't show is how the Spartanburg native upstaged a South Carolina fourth-period rally that nearly resulted in the year's big upset. "We didn't lose our poise, even when they came back on us," Fuller said.

"We knew we could move on them and still pull it out. In fact, I really didn't expect us to move down the field as fast as we did." Fast was the word. Fuller used jufit six plays and 59 seconds to rrwve the Tigers in for the dwidin(i score. A 20-yard toss to Jerry Butler gave Clemson the win, their second straight over South Carolina. Just a minute earlier, USC's lion Bass and Phillip Logan were all aet for the hero roles, combining on a fourth-down pass that went for a 40-yard score and gave the Gamecocks a 27-24 lead with Juit 1:48 remaining.

Even Fuller admitted he was taken off-guard by the USC rally. Tigers To Win The clincher, a leaping grab in the end zone by the stellar Butler, came on a play where Fuller had several options. "It's part of our two-minute offense," the signal-caller explained. "I call it at the line, and we can either go out of bounds or deep on the throw. "When we came up, I saw the defense wasn't quite set because they only had one man on Jerry.

Usually they double-cover him, so I figured he'd be open." Butler had to jump and stretch to pull in the big play. "He made a great catch because the pass was high," Fuller said. "It wasn't that bad a throw, though; I threw high on purpose. If Jerry didn't get it, I wanted to make (See THE ICE MAN, Page 13 A) Razorback players who gathered at a news conference ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Ohio State, a 14-6 loser Saturday to Michigan, announced after the game that it had accepted an invitation to meet Alabama in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans Jan.

2. The announcement came after a tlree-way conference call involving Harry England, a Sugar Bowl official, plus athletic directors Bear Bryant of Alabama and Hugh Hind-man of Ohio State. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -Liberty Bowl officials ended weeks of speculation Saturday uneup: Four ACC Teams Invited FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Fourteenth-ranked Texas fresh from a 52-23 shelling of Texas Christian, agreed Saturday to accept a bid to the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston if it does not represent the Southwest Conference in the Cotton Bowl. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Gophers defeated Wisconsin 13-7 to wind up their Big Ten season Saturday and immediately accepted an invitation to play Maryland in the Hall of Fame Bowl Dec.

22. PHOENIX, Ariz. (AP) Perm State will meet the with the announcement that No. 18th-ranked North Carolina will meet the runner-up of the Big Eight Conference in the Dec. 19 Liberty Bowl.

The Tar Heels won't know their Liberty Bowl opponent until after the Nov. 25 clash between No. 3 Oklahoma, 9-1-0, and No. 11 Nebraska, 8-2 0. EL PASO, Texas (AP) -Stanford of the Pacific Eight Conference and Louisiana State of the Southeast Conference will meet in the Sun Bowl Dec.

31, according to a spokesman for the Sun Bowl Selection Committee. The announcement came Saturday night after Stanford defeated California 21-3..