Clemson: 2023 Gator Bowl Champions

 

You’ll likely hear a lot about Clemson running back Phil Mafah tonight, and for a good reason: Mafah is a stud and was the key to a Clemson 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky.

In the Gator Bowl win, Mafah was dominant on the ground, even with his limited workload. Taking just 11 carries on the game, Mafah gained 71 yards and scored four touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 3-yard touchdown with seconds left in the fourth quarter.

It was not only an excellent performance for Mafah but also historic. Mafah’s four touchdowns in this win broke two records: the Gator Bowl touchdown record and Clemson’s bowl game record. Mafah’s performance in this Gator Bowl will go down as an all-time great bowl game performance in the program’s history.

Clemson star running back Will Shipley was injured in Clemson’s 38-35 Gator Bowl win over Kentucky, with head coach Dabo Swinney sharing an update on Shipley’s health during his press conference following the game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Shipley was injured on a big kick return as he landed awkwardly out of bounds. Shipley was down for a while before being helped up and over to the bench. Here is what Swinney had to say about the injury.

“We’ll do an MRI. It’ll either be tomorrow or the next day,” Swinney said. “We’ll wait and see. But initial reports seem to be encouraging, but you never know until you do the MRI.”

Hopefully, it looked worse than it is for Shipley, who still has a decision to make on his future with the program.

Clemson: 2022 Atlantic Coast Football Champions

 

No. 9 Clemson isn't going to compete for a national title this season, but it returned to conference supremacy and clinched a spot in the Orange Bowl with a 39-10 shellacking of No. 23 North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game. The win marks the Tigers' seventh ACC crown of the past eight seasons and brings a bit of redemption for Dabo Swinney's program after it failed to make the league title game last season for the first time since 2014.

North Carolina jumped out to an early 7-0 lead but faded fast once Clemson turned to freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik on its third possession. With junior starter DJ Uiagalelei proving ineffective, Klubnik entered and quickly flipped the momentum in the Tigers' favor by directing a 71-yard touchdown drive. The former five-star prospect and heir-apparent to Uiagalelei completed 20 of 24 passes for 279 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, while also running for 30 yards and a score. Klubnik remained on the field until third-string quarterback Hunter Johnson entered with the game out of hand in the fourth quarter.

Klubnik's counterpart, North Carolina's Drake Maye, guided the Tar Heels into the red zone five times, but those trips produced just 10 points. A fumble and a blocked field goal attempt hampered the Tar Heels in the first half, and a costly interception gutted their chances during the the third quarter.

With the Tar Heels trailing just 24-10, Maye threw an ill-advised third-down pass that Clemson's Nate Wiggins intercepted and returned 98 yards for a touchdown with 5:05 left in the third quarter. The play zapped UNC's hopes of a rally and ushered in the Tar Heels' third consecutive loss. At 9-4, North Carolina can still reach double-digit victories for just the second time since 1997 if it wins a bowl game. 

Clemson has already reached double-digit wins for a 12th straight season under Swinney and can finish 12-2 if it wins the Orange Bowl. Tennessee is its projected opponent for the game, which is set for Dec. 30 in Miami. With such an emphatic win in the ACC Championship Game, Clemson would have been in great shape to make the College Football Playoff if only it hadn't lost to South Carolina last week. Without the loss to the Gamecocks, which marked Clemson's first home loss since 2016, the Tigers would have benefitted tremendously from this weekend's losses by No. 3 TCU and No. 4 USC. 

But a league title and New Year's Six bowl appearance are nothing to scoff at, especially after the program lost long-time coordinators Tony Elliot (Virginia) and Brent Venables (Oklahoma) to head coaching gigs after the 2021 season.

Clemson: 2021 Cheez-It Bowl Champions

D.J. Uiagalelei threw for 187 yards, Mario Goodrich scored on an 18-yard interception return and No. 19 Clemson beat Iowa State 20-13 on Wednesday night in Orlando, Florida, in the Cheez-It Bowl for coach Dabo Swinney’s 150th victory.

Will Shipley had a 12-yard touchdown run and finished with 61 yards rushing and 53 yards receiving for Clemson (10-3). Dacari Collins caught six passes for 53 yards, and B.T. Potter made two field goals.

Clemson won its sixth straight game to reach 10 victories for an 11th consecutive season. Florida State (14 from 1987-00) and Alabama (14 from 2008-21) are the only programs with longer streaks.

The Tigers, who came in with the nation's second-ranked scoring defense, held the Cyclones (7-6) to three field goals over the first three quarters. Iowa State finished with 270 yards and 14 first downs.

Goodrich sealed Clemson’s victory with 33 seconds to play when he stripped the ball away from Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy on fourth-and-2.

Iowa State dropped four of its final six games of the season and lost in a bowl game for a fourth consecutive year.

Maryland 54, Virginia Tech 10: Tarheeb Still returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown, Taulia Tagovailoa threw touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards to Darryl Jones and Maryland routed Virginia Tech at Yankee Stadium in New York in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The game belonged to Tagovailoa, an Alabama transfer and younger brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa. He threw for 265 yards and the two TD passes brought his season total to 26, which tied Maryland’s single-season record.

Coach Mike Locksley led the Terrapins (7-6) to his first bowl victory and winning record in three seasons at Maryland.

Jones, a senior wide receiver, had never caught a touchdown pass over his first 40 games. He had two and finished with 111 yards receiving against the Hokies (6-7).

Antwain Littleton II added a 4-yard rushing TD for Maryland and Joseph Petrino answered the Hokies’ lone touchdown with a 44-yard field goal with 59 seconds left in the first half for a 24-10 lead. Roman Hemby scored on a 2-yard run in the third quarter.

LSU vs. Clemson 2020: Let It Ride

#CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship #CFB150 #NCAA #NY6

Your 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game

Clemson University Tigers vs. 

Louisiana State University Tigers

2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

New Orleans, Louisiana,

United States of America

13 January 2020

National Collegiate Athletic Association

Division I Football Bowl Subdivision

Clemson: 2019 Fiesta Bowl Champions

A season seemingly destined to place Ryan Day's first year as Ohio State head coach atop all the other seasons of distinction in OSU history instead ending suddenly and stunningly in a 29-23 loss to No. 3 Clemson in the College Football Playoff on Saturday at the Fiesta Bowl.

Justin Fields, who threw only one interception all season, threw two against the defending national champion Tigers, including the clincher with 37 seconds left.

Fields was looking for Chris Olave from the Clemson 30, but Olave broke left and Fields threw to the middle of the field, where the Tigers intercepted.

The 30th consecutive victory for coach Dabo Swinney's team moves them into the national championship game Jan. 13 against LSU, which hammered Oklahoma in the other Playoff semifinal.

Fields finished 30-of-46 for 320 yards, with one TD.

J.K. Dobbins gained 174 yards on 18 carries, but had only 30 yards after injuring his ankle in the third quarter.

Clemson's Trevor Lawrence led his team 94 yards to take the lead in the final two minutes.

He finished 18-of-33 for 259 yards and rushed 16 times for 107 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown.

OSU embarked on its potential game-winning drive from its 25 with 1:49 left, trying to overcome a 29-23 deficit that resulted from Travis Etienne's 34-yard touchdown catch with 1:49 left.

That culminated a four-play drive by the Tigers, but Ohio State started just as promptly in response.

Fields found Dobbins with three swing passes and hit K.J. Hill for 13 yards to move quickly inside the Clemson 30 with 43 seconds left.

That's where Fields and Olave miscommunicated and Clemson free safety Nolan Turner intercepted in the end zone, ending the Buckeyes' hopes for a thrilling comeback.

Clemson gained the chance to take the lead by holding on third-and-five with 3:53 left, denying Austin Mack the three additional yards he needed to sustain the drive after a catch at the Tigers' 39.

OSU elected to punt, giving the Tigers the ball at the 6-yard line with two timeouts and 3:07 left to drive for a go-ahead field goal.

Instead, the Tigers used just four plays to go 94 yards for a touchdown.

Lawrence passed for 11 yards to Justyn Ross, ran for 11 himself to go over 100 yards for the game, then found Amari Rodgers over the middle.

He slipped a tackle from Jeff Okudah at midfield and gained 38 yards to the 34-yard line with 2:06 left.

Etienne covered the distance that remained on the next snap, taking a short pass behind the OSU defensive line and speeding through the secondary to get in the end zone for the third time.

The Tigers tried to pad their resulting 27-23 lead to six points, and got that when Tee Higgins got away from Okudah to catch the two-point pass from a scrambling Lawrence.

OSU shook off a streak of 21 straight Clemson points that erased a 16-0 second-quarter deficit to re-take the lead with 11:46 left on Fields' 23-yard touchdown pass to Olave.

Olave got free over the middle with Clemson's defense crowding the line on fourth-and-one, anticipating a Dobbins' or Fields run.

Ohio State will forever lament its missed opportunities that undermined its chance of getting to the national championship game.

The Buckeyes' early 16-0 lead could have been much larger had they not settled for three Blake Haubeil field goals inside 35 yards.

Two of those came after near Fields touchdowns to Dobbins, who earlier scored on a 68 yard run and broke off another 64-yarder inside the 10.

Replay overruled a Dobbins 5-yard TD catch because the football hit the ground and slid down his leg in the end zone.

Shortly after that, Dobbins dropped a screen floated to him in the left flat with three blockers to clear the one Clemson defender in the 20 yards separating him from the goal line.

Those mistakes weren't the extent of the Buckeyes' self-inflicted damage.

Midway through the third quarter, with Clemson punting from its 15, Cameron Brown roughed Will Spiers to sustain a drive that two plays later resulted in Travis Etienne scoring on a 53-yard screen pass.

As much as that hurt, it wasn't the last debilitating mental blow to the Buckeyes.

Replay overturned Fuller's scoop-and-score touchdown the next time Clemson had the ball, denying OSU what appeared a touchdown when Okudah stripped possession from Ross at the Clemson 25.

The Buckeyes' 16-0 second-quarter lead evaporated in a flurry of two Clemson touchdowns in a span of just 1:35.

OSU gave the Tigers a second chance to score its first touchdown, converting a third-down incompletion into a first down when cornerback Shaun Wade slammed into Lawrence and drew a targeting call.

That continued the possession and Clemson pounced.

Amir Riep replaced Wade and, on second down, Lawrence returned from a brief medical check on the sideline and went deep. That drew pass interference and a provided a Clemson first down at the OSU 16.

Etienne took it from there, avoiding Fuller and Malik Harrison on third-and-2 from the 7-yard line to knife into the end zone and get Clemson within 16-7 with 2:45 left in the half.

Ohio State tried to run out the clock, but Dobbins came up short on third down and Clemson took over with 1:55 left.

It took the Tigers less than a minute to get within 16-14.

Lawrence converted third-and-10 with a throw to Ross, then broke OSU's heart with a 67-yard run on a quarterback draw.

He broke free up the middle, juked safety Josh Proctor and Fuller, then outran Barron Browning to the end zone.

The Tigers made it 21 straight points right after that, cashing in another second chance off the personal foul of their punter and Etienne's 53-yard catch and run with a screen pass.

Clemson: 2018 NCAA Division I FBS National Champions

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With stunning ease -- and a freshman quarterback -- Clemson toppled college football's greatest dynasty again to become the first perfect playoff champion.

Trevor Lawrence passed for 347 yards and three touchdowns and the second-ranked Tigers beat No. 1 Alabama 44-16 on Monday night in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

In the fourth consecutive playoff meeting between the Tigers and Tide, Clemson evened the series and beat `Bama for the national championship for the second time in three seasons. Clemson is the first team in the AP poll era, dating back to 1936, to finish 15-0.

"We're gonna enjoy this one. We've got a nice spot to put it in our facility, right next to that other one," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We've got twins!"

Alabama coach Nick Saban and the Tide (14-1) were looking for a sixth national championship in 10 years, trying to add to an already unprecedented run in the sport. Instead, Clemson crushed Alabama, becoming the first opponent to beat the Tide by more than 14 points since Saban became coach in 2007.

Swinney's Tigers sealed their status as a superpower, no longer just 1A to Alabama's 1.

"We're 15-0, we beat the best team ever, nobody's taking that away from us," Clemson All-America defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said.

Two seasons ago it was Deshaun Watson dethroning the Tide with a last-second touchdown pass. Clemson's new star quarterback didn't need the late-game heroics. The long-haired Lawrence cut though Alabama's defense with the help of another fabulous freshman. Justyn Ross made a juggling grab, a one-handed snare and broke a 74-yard touchdown about midway through the third quarter that made it 37-16 and had Swinney high-stepping down the sidelines.

Ross, who scored two touchdowns in the semifinal rout of Notre Dame, had six catches for 153 yards against his home-state team.

Swinney takes a different approach than Saban, running a more fun-loving program than Alabama's all-business organization. But the results have been every bit as good. And on Monday night at Levi's Stadium, in a championship game played more than 2,000 miles away from Clemson's South Carolina campus, the Tigers were way too much for an Alabama team that had spent the season mauling its opposition by an average of 31 points per game.

Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa threw two crucial interceptions in the first half, the first returned 44 yards for a touchdown by A.J. Terrell to put Clemson up 7-0. The Tide came in scoring 48 points per game, but were shut out over the final 44 minutes by an opportunistic Clemson defense that stiffened in key spots.

Tagovailoa, the sophomore who came off the bench to win the championship game last year for the Tide, went 22 for 34 for 295 yards and two touchdowns.

"Good is not good enough," Tagovailoa said.

The Heisman runner-up was also the second-best quarterback on the field in the championship game. Lawrence finished 20 for 32, but went 18 for 25 for 277 yards over the final three quarters.

The teenager who took over as the starter four games into the season raised the Tigers' play, giving them an explosive offense to match a suffocating defense that was led by a star-studded line with All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Wilkins.

"It's been an awesome journey," Lawrence said. "It's really unbelievable."

Clemson: 2018 Cotton Bowl Champions

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Clemson's Dabo Swinney entrusted a team with championship aspirations to freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence in September, this is what the Tigers' coach had in mind.

Lawrence threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns and No. 2 Clemson beat No. 3 Notre Dame 30-3 on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl to reach the College Football Playoff title game. The Tigers (14-0) will play No. 1 Alabama -- a 45-34 winner over No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl -- for a fourth straight season in the playoff on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, California.

"He's just so poised. He just sees it. And he's got a gift of an arm," Swinney said. "But I just love his humility and how consistent he is with his preparation, day in and day out. Easy, easy guy to coach. Easy guy to get behind and support. His teammates love him."

Clemson's overpowering and experienced defensive line, led by ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant, smothered Ian Book and the Fighting Irish (12-1), holding them to 248 yards.

On offense, freshmen led the way. Lawrence, making his 10th career start, was 27 for 39 and did not throw an interception against a Notre Dame defense that had been one of the best on the country. Freshman receiver Justyn Ross had six catches for 148 yards and two long touchdowns.

"It makes it a lot easier on me when you just have guys all around you who are such great players and take that load off of you. There's not much pressure when you have guys this good playing around you," Lawrence said.

The Irish hung around for a quarter, with the teams exchanging field goals. But in the first quarter, Notre Dame All-America cornerback Julian Love went out with what coach Brian Kelly said after the game was a head injury and Lawrence started taking apart the Irish.

Lawrence hooked up with Ross deep down the sideline and the big receiver beat Love's backup, Donte Vaughn, for a tackle-breaking, 52-yard score early in the second quarter. The Irish looked as if they might keep it close to halftime, but they couldn't keep Clemson out of their backfield -- even without suspended star tackle Dexter Lawrence.

In the final 2 minutes, Trevor Lawrence connected with Ross on a 42-yard score and with Tee Higgins for a one-handed, 19-yard touchdown reception -- again over Vaughn -- with 2 seconds left in the second quarter. Lawrence was 13 for 15 for 229 yards in the quarter.

"I wanted to help our team," said Love, who passed concussion protocol at halftime and returned to the game. "And in a sense, I let them down in that regard."

That made it 23-3 at half and once again the Fighting Irish looked outclassed against the best of the best. Not so different from the 42-14 loss to Alabama in the 2012 BCS championship game or the 44-28 loss to Ohio State in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. In fact, Notre Dame is 0-8 in BCS and New Year's Six games since winning the Cotton Bowl in 1993.

Receiver Miles Boykin insisted this Notre Dame team was different.

"I thought we played just as athletic as them and just as fast as them and it came down to execution and we didn't execute today," he said.

Though to be fair, Clemson has been doing this to everyone since Lawrence settled in. The Tigers haven't had an opponent stay within 20 points since a close call against Syracuse on Sept. 29.

That was Lawrence's first game as a starter, one he didn't finish because of a head injury, and Clemson's first after quarterback Kelly Bryant left the team.

Bryant, a senior, led the Tigers to the playoff last season and a semifinal loss to Alabama. He was pivotal in an early victory this season at Texas A&M. But Lawrence is a rare talent, a potential first overall NFL draft pick. When Lawrence took over, the ceiling on Clemson's potential rose. Now it is being realized.

"I felt like he gave us the best chance to win and play at an explosive level," Swinney said.

With his flowing blond hair, Lawrence is positioned to become one of college football's biggest and most recognizable stars. It will help to have receivers such as Ross, Higgins and Amari Rogers, all underclassmen. And a runner like sophomore Travis Etienne, who broke a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

But Lawrence is the leader. In his 11th start, he will try to become the first true freshman quarterback to lead his team to a national championship since Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway in 1985.

"He doesn't just have a talented arm. That's just what you guys see," Clemson All-America defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said. "He's a cool customer. He's never rattled."

THE TAKEAWAY

Notre Dame: As 12-point underdogs, the Irish needed to play their best and catch a couple breaks. Neither happened. They nearly had a takeaway deep in Clemson territory in the first quarter, but a loose ball was ruled barely out of bounds by replay review. Love's injury left them exposed at corner. And an offensive line, which had been up and down and shifting around much of the season, was no match for Clemson.

Clemson: Dexter Lawrence, sidelined by a failed NCAA test for performance-enhancing drugs, was hardly missed. The 340-pound junior was on the sideline, wearing on an orange sweat shirt with a white tiger paw logo. Clemson is working on an appeal for Lawrence and two other players, but it is unlikely the Tigers will have them back for the national title game.

Clemson: 2016-17 NCAA Division I FBS National Champions

TAMPA, Fla. -- So many thought it would be different.

Alabama's defense was so much better and more suited to face Deshaun Watson, and Jalen Hurts didn't have enough to win a footrace with Clemson.

And for most of the game, all of that was coming to fruition.

Until the fourth quarter.

That, folks, is where championships are won and lost. And Monday night, that's where Clemson upended mighty Alabama with a 2-yard pass to Tide slayer himself Hunter Renfrow in the Tigers' 35-31 win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T.

With how badly Clemson wanted this and with how much Alabama just had to win it because of how historically good it looked before Monday night, it had to end this way. And a wild fourth quarter was the only way to do it.

You had Clemson outscoring mighty Alabama -- the fourth-quarter king -- 21-7 in the final frame thanks to back-to-back go-ahead drives of 88 and 68 yards. Renfrow, who gutted Alabama's defense last year, was the hero with his 10 catches for 92 yards and two scores, but Deshaun Watson, who cemented his Clemson legacy, was the engineer.

Rocked time after time, he stood up each time and delivered when it mattered most. Watson's fourth quarter was one for the ages, as he only needed six plays for what we all thought was his game-winning drive to put the Tigers up 28-24 with 4:38 left.

Of course, a Tide offense that had failed to convert 11 straight third downs going into the ensuing drive, charged down the field for a 68-yard touchdown drive that should have won the game. It should have won the game because when the Tide needed a pass, wide receiver ArDarius Stewart hit tight end O.J. Howard for a 24-yard strike. And when Alabama needed another throw, Jalen Hurts broke through the pocket and slipped by Clemson defenders for a beautiful 30-yard touchdown run.

But when the game needed to be won, it was Deshaun Watson who promoted the orange-and-purple confetti celebration that left a couple of Clemson players somersaulting and back flipping their way onto the field.

This one needed nine excruciating and heart-pounding plays, like that 24-yard dart to Mike Williams early or the 17-yard beaut to tight end Jordan Leggett that put the ball at the Alabama 9-yard line with the time just rushing off the clock.


Then, like so many times before, it was Watson to Renfrow, who slipped past a pick to come free and wide open in the front corner of the end zone. He then calmly flipped his historic catch to the ref as teammates mauled him.

A fantastic end to a fantastic game has given the college football world a new true king. Mighty Alabama was dethroned by having its superb defense vanquished against the very team it sought to "dominate" as cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick proudly stated earlier this week.

But on Monday night -- really, early Sunday morning -- it was Clemson who did the late dominating. It was Clemson that came out on top.

It was Clemson that Clemsoned its way to its first national title since 1981, and sent Alabama's 2016 team in the depths of the what-could-have-beens.

Clemson: 2016 Fiesta Bowl Champions

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Deshaun Watson ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and No. 3 Clemson crushed No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 Saturday night in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl to set up a rematch with Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney had sold his team on making this a redemptive trip to the desert by winning at the site where they lost to Alabama in the national title game last season. With that taken care of, Clemson (13-1) now gets another crack at the top-ranked Crimson Tide in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 9. The teams that started the season ranked Nos. 1 and 2 will most certainly end it that way, too.

In what figures to be Watson's final college game, he will try to lead Clemson to its first national title since 1981. The junior and Heisman Trophy runner-up passed for 259 yards and ran for 57 against the Buckeyes (11-2), who could not keep Clemson's big and quick defensive line out of their backfield.

Freshman Clelin Ferrell had a sack among his three tackles for loss and Clemson allowed only 215 yards and nine first downs. The Buckeyes were shut out for the first time since 1993 against Michigan, and Urban Meyer had one of his teams held scoreless for the first time in 194 games as a head coach.

Watson made it 24-0 with 2:06 left in the third quarter when he faked a pitch, cut through a hole and into the end zone from 7 yards out. He hopped through the back of the end zone and did a little dance in front of the Ohio State section.

The rest was a formality.

Much the way Alabama's defense suffocated Washington in the day's first semifinal, Clemson gave Ohio State no options. The Buckeyes came in averaging 258 yards rushing per game and finished with 88. J.T. Barrett threw for 127 yards and was intercepted twice.

The sellout crowd at University of Phoenix Stadium of 71,279 had far more Ohio State scarlet than Clemson orange at kickoff, but by the halfway point in the fourth quarter Tigers fans mostly had the place to themselves.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: In a rebuilding year with only six returning starters, the Buckeyes reached the playoff. Hard to call that a disappointment, but Ohio State's issues on the offensive line and limitations in the passing game were badly exposed by a Clemson defensive line that features a bunch of future NFL players. Expect some Penn State fans to again start asking why their team was picked for the playoff instead of the Big Ten champion Nittany Lions, who beat the Buckeyes in October.

Clemson: The Tigers seemed to spend much of the season trying to explain why they were not running roughshod over opponents. Expectations were so high after last season ended with a stinging 45-40 loss in a classic national championship game against Alabama.


There were close calls for Clemson early in the season against Auburn and Troy, and the Tigers needed some luck to beat North Carolina State in overtime. Watson was throwing more picks and an offense that welcomed back star receiver Mike Williams was not quite the unstoppable juggernaut so many expected.

But the best Clemson was the Clemson that showed up in the desert. And that Clemson has always been the team best equipped to beat Alabama.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: The immediate concern for the Buckeyes is figuring out which underclassmen will jump to the NFL. The most notable players who have decisions to make in the next two weeks include Barrett, who will be a fifth-year senior next season; H-back Curtis Samuel; linebacker Raekwon McMillan and defensive backs Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley.

Clemson: Watson put on an all-time performance with 478 total yards against Alabama last season. This Tide defense is even better, but Clemson brings something new to the fight in Williams, who missed most of last season because of an injury. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior had six catches for 96 yards against Ohio State.

Clemson Tigers: 2015 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Deshaun Watson turned in another stellar two-way performance, running for one touchdown, passing for another and accounting for 332 yards to lead top-ranked Clemson to a 37-17 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl national semifinal game Thursday.

Clemson (14-0) dominated the second half and shut down Oklahoma's prolific offense, which averaged 52 points over its previous seven games. The Sooners (11-2) actually came into the game as favorites, but the Tigers showed their perfect record was no fluke.

Watson got off to a slow start passing, but came back to complete 16-of-31 for 187 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown to Hunter Renfrow that gave Clemson some breathing room late in the third quarter. The Heisman finalist also ran for 145 yards on 24 carries, scoring the Tigers' first touchdown on a 5-yard run.

Clemson advances to face either Alabama or Michigan State in the Jan. 11 national championship game.

Clemson: 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl Champions

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Clemson quarterback Cole Stoudt has had several moments during the 2014 season he tried hard to forget.

The senior ended his career with a performance worth savoring.

Stoudt threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and 17th-ranked Clemson routed Oklahoma 40-6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Monday.

"It all comes down to who makes the big plays, and we made the most this game," Stoudt said. "We really didn't hit the brakes at all."

The Tigers (10-3) reached double-digit victories for the fourth consecutive season. Clemson was 10-4 in 2011, 11-2 in 2012 and 11-2 in 2013.

"It was our night tonight. We knew it would be a tough challenge, but we were ready," Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said.

Oklahoma (8-5) had five turnovers, including three interceptions by sophomore quarterbackTrevor Knight.

Stoudt began the season as the Tigers' starting quarterback, before struggles cost him the job to freshman standout Deshaun Watson.

Injuries to Watson gave Stoudt several opportunities to regain the spot, but he never was able to put together the kind of outing that gave the coaching staff lasting confidence.

The ultimate low point came in November when Watson was lost to a knee injury in the first quarter of the Tigers' matchup at Georgia Tech. Stoudt came in to replace him but threw three interceptions in a 28-6 loss that ended Clemson's six-game win streak.

Stoudt was a different presence against the Sooners on Monday, completing 26 of 36 attempts for a season-high 319 yards. He was sacked four times, but Clemson never turned the ball over.

"I wouldn't say this was redemption," Stoudt said. "This was my last game. I was prepared to do my best. I wanted to be the best I could be and just enjoy the last game, and that is what we did."

As good as Stoudt was, the Tigers' defense was equally impressive.

The Tigers, which came in ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense, held the Sooners' offense to just 275 yards.

With most of the Oklahoma section of the announced crowd of 40,071 already gone from Citrus Bowl Stadium, Swinney pulled the senior starters from his defense early in the fourth quarter.

It wasn't until then that the Sooners finally were able to score their first touchdown with just less than seven minutes to play.

Sooners coach Bob Stoops shied away from assigning blame but acknowledged Oklahoma's lofty yearly standards aren't being met.

"You can't play one-handed," Stoops said. "I thought overall we did a really nice job of running the football, but the lack of execution in the passing game was a major factor as well.

"We had our chances. We had our shots, but we didn't make anything happen."

After the loss, Sooners All-Big 12 linebacker Eric Striker said he would return for his senior season.

"I don't want to go out like this," Striker said. "I'll be back at OU because I'm a winner."

Clemson was efficient in all phases but also was the beneficiary of three early Sooners turnovers in building a 27-0 halftime lead. A 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by Ben Boulwarewas part of a 17-point first quarter.

Stoudt completed his first six passes and finished the half with a pair of touchdown throws -- a 65-yarder to Artavis Scott and a 26-yarder to Mike Williams.

Tigers' kicker Ammon Lakip also did his part to deepen the hole for Oklahoma, connecting on a pair of field goals, including a career-long kick from 49 yards in the second quarter.

The Sooners were out of sync on both sides of the ball during the opening 30 minutes.

Knight was just 5-for-14, with a pair of interceptions. Samaje Perine rushed for 62 yards but also had a fumble inside the Tigers' 25 that ended the Sooners' best drive late in the second quarter.

Stoops said changes were possible at quarterback and elsewhere.

"It's fair to say quarterback position is open," he said. "With guys we have coming in and inconsistency we have overall. But every position is open come spring time. I'm not going to sit here and create a problem, but of course there will be competition."

Trailing 20-0, Oklahoma's defense nearly grabbed a bit of momentum when defensive endCharles Tapper appeared to tip, intercept and return Stoudt's pass for a touchdown. But the play was called back for offside.

Stoudt then promptly hooked up with Williams for the Tigers' final scoring play of the half.

The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Jake Trotter contributed to this report.

Clemson: 2014 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS --  Ohio State and Clemson matched each other punch for punch during an entertaining Orange Bowl until the Tigers finally delivered the knockout blow.

It appeared Ohio State might run away with the Orange Bowl trophy after a surge that started in the second quarter and spilled into the third. However, Clemson quickly scored two touchdowns to take a 34-29 lead in the fourth quarter of the Orange Bowl. 

The Buckeyes delivered a quick counter-punch to take a lead, but the Tigers likely delivered the final response by scoring late and forcing a pair of turnovers.

The game drew an announced crowd of 72,080. Clemson finished the back-and-forth affair with a dramatic 40-35 win.

Tajh Boyd helped Clemson race out to an early 7-0 lead at Sun Life Stadium. Boyd scored off what was officially listed as a 48-yard touchdown scamper. The extra point gave the Tigers an early 7-0 lead at the 12:50 mark in the first quarter.

After a slew of penalties helped extend Ohio State's first drive. Despite one penalty by the Buckeyes, Braxton Miller made the Tigers pay for their miscues.

The athletic dual-threat quarterback rushed for a 33-yard touchdown. With the extra point, Ohio State tied the game 7-7 at the 5:44 mark in the first quarter.

Boyd delivered a quick response, hitting Sammy Watkins for a 34-yard touchdown. With the extra point, the Tigers took a 14-7 lead at the 4:56 mark in the first quarter.

Ohio State's defense chipped in to help the Buckeyes, tackling Boyd in the end zone for a safety. It trimmed Clemson's lead to 14-9 at the 2:25 mark in the first quarter. 

The Tigers countered with a scoring drive in the second quarter.

Boyd passed to Martavis Bryant for 3-yard touchdown. Clemson missed the extra point, making the score 20-9 at the 6:16 mark in the second quarter. 

Ohio State picked up the pace again, this time with Miller hitting a wide open Jeff Heurman for a 57-yard touchdown. The Tigers blocked the extra point, making the score 20-15 Ohio State at the 3:39 mark in the second quarter. 

Miller tacked on another score, this time rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. With the rare converted extra point by Drew Basil, the Buckeyes erased an early deficit and took a 22-20 lead at the 12 second mark in the second quarter. 

Ohio State held onto the momentum early in the third quarter, mounting a long scoring drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown scamper by Carlos Hyde. With the extra point, the Buckeyes took a 29-20 lead at the 5:50 mark in the third quarter. 

However, Clemson would rise up to change the momentum in the contest. 

Boyd connected with Watkins for a 30-yard touchdown. With the extra point, it cut Ohio State's lead to 29-27. 

On the next drive, Clemson's defense forced a turnover that would quickly set up a Boyd 3-yard touchdown pass to Martavis Bryant. The extra point pushed Clemson ahead 34-29 with 32 seconds left in the third quarter. 

Watkins had 200 receiving yards through three quarters, a new Orange Bowl record.

In the fourth quarter, Miller found Hyde wide open in the end zone. Clemson was called for a penalty for taking a shot at Miller after he released the 14-yard touchdown pass. With the extra point, the Buckyes took the 35-34 lead at the 11:35 mark in the fourth quarter. 

Clemson delivered the next blow, with Boyd passing to Stanton Seckinger for a 5-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed, making the score 40-35 at the 6:16 mark in the fourth quarter. 

The Tigers and Buckeyes traded turnovers late, with Clemson coughing up the ball to give Ohio State hope. However, one more Buckeyes interception would put the Tigers in a position to seal the win. 

Clemson: 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Champions

ATLANTA -- Clemson got one last impressive drive from Tajh Boyd and company to record its first 11-win season since its 1981 national championship team.

And Tigers coach Dabo Swinney thinks this is only the beginning.

Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 14 Clemson a wild 25-24 win over No. 9 Louisiana State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Monday night.

Trailing 24-22, Clemson (11-2) took possession on its 20 with 1:39 remaining. Boyd passed to DeAndre Hopkins for 26 yards on a fourth-and-16 play during the decisive 10-play drive.

Catanzaro's kick set off a wild celebration on the field and in the stands. Some players collapsed on the field in apparent disbelief while most of Clemson's orange jerseys met in a midfield circle.

Clemson reached 11 wins for only the fourth time in school history and the first time since the 12-0 1981 team.

"You can't win 12 until you win 11," Swinney said. "You can't win a national championship until you learn how to win games like this.

"This was a landmark win."

Catanzaro had an extra point blocked in the second quarter, but he said that didn't cause him to doubt his chances to make the last-second field goal.

"I was ready when the opportunity came to me," Catanzaro said. "It was next-kick mentality. I was so thankful for the opportunity."

Catanzaro, a former walk-on from Greenville, S.C., made 16 of 17 field goals in the regular season.

"I didn't have any doubt," Swinney said of the junior kicker. "He's just a clutch player all the way."

Boyd completed 36 of 50 passes for 346 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He set career highs for attempts and completions while winning the game MVP award.

"Tajh Boyd was phenomenal," LSU coach Les Miles said. "I did not expect the heroic, if you will, efforts that he had."

Hopkins, who had 13 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns, also had receptions for 7 and 13 yards in the final drive. LSU safety Greg Reid was flagged for pass interference while defending Hopkins.

Jeremy Hill ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns for LSU (10-3), which carried a 24-13 lead into the final quarter.

After Hopkins' second TD catch, LSU got the ball with 2:43 remaining and threw three straight passes. Only one was complete in the three-and-out series that took only about 1 minute off the clock, leaving Clemson with enough time for its winning drive against LSU's exhausted defense.

Hill did not have a carry in the fourth quarter.

"We had to throw the football," Miles said.

"We were not running the football. They were in a position where they outnumbered us in the run."

LSU's three passes allowed Swinney to save his timeouts.

"I had three timeouts," Swinney said. "If he runs it three times, I can call timeout, timeout, timeout.

"I think (Miles) was trying to win the game. I think he felt confident in the plays. I know he knew he needed to get a first down, because if he gets a first down I have to start burning timeouts."

Boyd said having 1:39 to stage the final drive "is like having 10, 15 minutes for us."

"When I saw that clock and that we had three timeouts I said, 'Let's get it.'"

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger was sacked six times and completed 14 of 23 passes for 120 yards. He also threw for a touchdown and an interception.

"It's a tough thing to figure our pass protection was as poor as it was," Miles said. "That's the piece that needs fixing and frankly we've got some young players here we'll address and improve and make some strides going forward."

LSU scored 10 points off Clemson's two lost fumbles, including one by Sammy Watkins on the second play of the game that set up Hill's first touchdown.

Hopkins scored on an 11-yard reception in the second quarter and a 12-yard grab in the fourth. LSU's Bennie Logan blocked Catanzaro's extra point attempt following Hopkins' first touchdown.

Clemson had a chance to tie it after Hopkins' second TD, but Boyd's pass for the 2-point conversion was incomplete.

Michael Ford had a 43-yard kickoff return for LSU to open the second half. On first down, Hill broke through the line for a 57-yard touchdown run. His 12th rushing touchdown brokeDalton Hilliard's LSU record for a freshman set in 1982.

Clemson lost Watkins to a right ankle injury on his early fumble. X-rays were negative.

Clemson already was without backup receiver Martavis Bryant, who was suspended for the game for failing to meet academic requirements.

Clemson's second costly fumble came midway through the third quarter. Andre Ellington ran for 8 yards but lost the ball when hit by defensive end Sam Montgomery. Reid recovered the fumble at the Clemson 29, setting up Drew Alleman's 20-yard field goal.

The injury to Watkins left the spotlight on Hopkins, Clemson's leading receiver. He had catches of 17 and 12 yards as Clemson pulled even with an 11-play drive capped by Boyd's 11-yard touchdown run.

After LSU regained the lead on Mettenberger's 6-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry, Hopkins had a 31-yard catch to set up his 11-yard score late in the second quarter.

Hopkins' sliding grab gave him TD receptions in 10 straight games to set an Atlantic Coast Conference record. Virginia's Herman Moore had touchdown catches in nine straight games in 1990.