Clemson’s Lawrence lights up Notre Dame
Freshman throws for 327 yards, three TDS as Tigers reach title game
Arlington, Texas When Clemson’s Dabo Swinney handed his national championship-contending team to freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence in September, this is what the Tigers’ coach had in mind.
Lawrence threw for 327 yards and three TDS and No. 2 Clemson beat No. 3 Notre Dame 30-3 on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl to reach the College Football Playoff championship game for the third time in four seasons.
The Tigers (14-0) will play No. 1 Alabama — for a fourth straight season in the playoff — on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif.
“This is what we came here to do,” Swinney said. “This senior group just won their 54th game and they’re going back to their third national championship in four years.”
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 in the country. Freshman receiver Justyn Ross had six catches for 148 yards and two long TDS.
Early in the second quarter, Notre Dame All-america cornerback Julian Love went out with an apparent leg injury and Lawrence started taking apart the Irish secondary.
Lawrence hooked up with
Ross on a deep throw down the sideline and the big receiver beat Love’s backup, Donte Vaughn, for a tackle-breaking, 52-yard score early in the second.
In the final two minutes of the half, 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 two seconds left in the second quarter. Lawrence was 13-for-15 for 229 yards in the quarter.
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.
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.
Sophomore Travis Etienne broke a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Lawrence will try to become the first true freshman quarterback to lead his team to a national championship since Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway in 1985.