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Clemson is ranked 7th and USC 14th.  LSU and Alabama are 1st and 2nd, respectively.

Alshon Jeffery caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Connor Shaw with 3:50 left in the fourth quarter and South Carolina rallied to beat Mississippi State 14-12 on Saturday.

In his third career start, Shaw struggled for much of the afternoon. But the South Carolina (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) sophomore threw a perfect pass to Jeffery, who stretched his 6-foot-4, 229-pound frame over two Mississippi State (3-4, 0-4) defenders to catch the game winner.

Shaw completed 21 of 31 passes for 160 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore came into the game averaging an SEC-best 129.8 rushing yards per game, but only managed 39 against the hard-hitting Bulldogs. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury.

Mississippi State was driving late in the game, but Tyler Russell's pass was intercepted by D.J. Swearinger with 1:45 remaining.

For Clemson, Tajh Boyd threw four touchdown passes, freshman Sammy Watkins and the Tigers rallied from an 18-point deficit against Maryland to remain unbeaten with a 56-45 victory Saturday night.

The Tigers (7-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed 28-10 late in the first half and 35-17 in the third quarter before storming back behind Boyd, who went 26 for 38 for 270 yards as the catalyst of an offense that amassed 576 yards.

Boyd had plenty of help. Watkins scored on an 89-yard kickoff return that put Clemson up 49-45 with 7:24 left. Watkins returned an earlier kickoff 70 yards, and his 345 all-purpose yards set a school record.

The Tigers host North Carolina Saturday.  The Gamecocks are off until October 29 when they play at Tennessee.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)