Clemson wins on final play
Victorious Tigers’ only lead came on Catanzaro’s 37-yard kick at the end.
ATLANTA — 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. Tajh Boyd completed a pass for 26 yards to DeAndre Hopkins 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.
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.
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.
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 12yard grab in the fourth. LSU’s Bennie Logan blocked Catanzaro’s extra point attempt following Hopkins’ first touchdown.
Clemson’s offense was just good enough, especially on its last two drives, scoring a touchdown with 2:47 left and then the game-winning field goal.
Trailing 24-16 in the fourth quarter with 7:08 left in the game, Clemson began to drive, helped by a delay of game call against the defense and a hook-and-lateral play when quarterback Tajh hit Adam Humphries, who tossed it back to Andre Ellington for a 21yard gain.
After a 20-yard pass to Brandon Ford, Boyd capped the drive with a 12-yard laser-like pass to Hopkins just before he ran through the back of the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
Needing the 2-point conversion to tie, Clemson spread the field. Boyd rolled right, trying to find Ford again. But Boyd’s pass skipped off the grass, preserving LSU’s 24-22 lead.
But Clemson’s defense held on LSU’s next drive, giving Boyd and company one more chance from its 20-yard line with 1:39 left.
Two incomplete passes were followed by a sack on third down. Then came the play of the night. On fourth and 16 with 1:22 left, Boyd found Hopkins in the middle for a 26-yard gain to the 40. He hit Hopkins again, this time on the sideline, for a 7-yard gain. LSU was next called for pass interference, giving the Clemson 1st and 10.