Photo Credit, shakinthesouthland.com
Some fans say it’s an odd year for three number one college football teams battling for one goal. Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State.
The luxury of viewing two college championship games in one season might be up for discussion. Still, one half of the conversation ended when the Tigers crawled out of a 16-0 deficit and ambushed the Buckeyes, 29-23 after a couple of controversial calls in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoffs on Saturday night at State Farm Stadium.
The win sends the Tigers to New Orleans, where it will meet LSU (14-1), a 63-28 winner over Oklahoma, in the national championship game on January 13th.
In years to come, two controversial calls will stand out in the hearts of Ohio State fans. Clemson’s receiver Justyn Ross caught a pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and appeared to have possession of the ball when Buckeye cornerback Jeff Ohudah strip the ball away. Safety Jordan Fuller scooped up the loose ball and raced down the left sideline into the end zone for the touchdown. On a separate occasion, Buckeyes tailback J. K. Dobbins caught a swing pass out of the backfield and broke the plane of the goal line, yet officials ruled it an incomplete pass because he did not maintain possession of the ball once he made contact with the ground.
In the meantime, Tigers’ safety Nolan Turner intercepted Ohio State’s quarterback Justin Fields pass in the end zone with 43 seconds remaining to ice the Buckeyes rally cry.
The No. 3 Tigers (14-0) trailed 23-21, with 11:46 left. But Clemson’s offense received a spark when Lawrence and the Tigers executed a 94-yard drive to sew up the win. On the first play from scrimmage, Lawrence threw a strike to Ross at the 17. A play later, Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne hooked up on two consecutive big plays. The first covered 49 yards to the Buckeyes 33. Then Etienne turned a minimal catch into a 33-yard score.
In efforts to make it a six-point deficit, Clemson elected to go for two points. That’s when Lawrence found Tee Higgins in the back of the end zone, capping the two-point conversion, and the Tigers led 29-23.
Lawrence led the Tigers, passing for 259 yards on 18-of-33 attempts yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He rushed for 107 yards on 16 carries and a score. Etienne caught three passes for 98 yards, two touchdowns, and one score rushing.
No. 2 Ohio State regained the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Dobbins opened the quarter with an 11-yard reception before Fields slipped and fell in the backfield for a six-yard loss. Fields regrouped, tossing a 17-yard pass to Binjimen Victor, an nine yards to Austin Mack at the Clemson’s 45. Dobbins carried the ball twice to reach the 25. Fields closed the series, throwing a strike to Chris Olave for the score. Following the extra point kick, the Buckeyes led, 23-21, with 11:46 left.
The Sophomore Fields passed for 320 yards on 30-of-46 attempts with a touchdown and two interceptions. Dobbins added 174 rushing yards on 18 carries and a score.
Two holding penalties, a stop for loss yards, and a sack suffocated the Buckeyes’ next possession. Two other infractions led to scores, creating a deeper hole to dig out.
Leading 16-14, the Buckeyes forced Clemson to punt, However, cornerback Cameron Brown rough the punter, giving Clemson a first down at the Ohio State’s 30-yard line.
Then Lyn-J Dixon’s 17-yard run to the 47 opened the door as Etienne followed with a short pass from Lawrence and never looked back. That put the Tigers back in front, 21-16 with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter.
Also, late in the second quarter, Ohio State (13-1) gave up 30 yards in penalties, which led to Clemson’s first touchdown. Safety Shaun Wade thought he registered his first sack of the game, but the play was reviewed and ruled targeting by officials. Amir Reip replaced Wade following the ejection.
Later, on the same drive, Riep soaked up a pass interference infraction. The penalty moved the ball to the Buckeyes 16.
Two plays later, Etienne took an option pitch from Lawrence and muscled his way into the end zone to trim the Buckeyes lead, 16-7, with 2:45 left in the second quarter.
Now with the momentum, the Tigers forced a three and out. That gave Clemson’s offense possession at its 17. Facing third and ten, Lawrence stunned the crowd when he dropped back in the pocket under heavy pressure, spurted up the middle of the field, cut to the left, and out ran the Buckeyes defense to the end zone. Following B.T. Potter’s extra point kick, the Tigers trailed, 16-14, with 1:10 left in the half.
For the fourth time in five years, Clemson will be taking on a team from the SEC. Last year the Tigers defeated Alabama, 44-16, in 2017, 35-31, and 2016 the Tide won 45-40.
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