RALLY TIME
Clemson comes back twice to beat Ohio State in CFP semifinal
No. 3 Clemson showed its national champion pedigree Saturday night, coming from behind twice to beat No. 2 Ohio State in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
The Tigers drove 94 yards in four plays and were successful on a two-point conversion to edge No. 3 Ohio State 29-23. They advance to play No. 1 LSU in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Jan. 13 in New Orleans, trying to become the first repeat champion in the six-year CFP era.
LSU crushed No. 4 Alabama 63-28 in the Peach Bowl earlier Saturday.
Clemson scored 21 consecutive points to lead by five midway through the third quarter then fell behind again before rallying to win its 29th consecutive game. Ohio State (13-1) saw the end of its 19-game win streak.
Clemson improved to 4-0 all-time vs. Ohio State. The Tigers beat the Buckeyes 31-0 in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, also a CFP semifinal, and went on to win the na
tional title.
Ohio State overcame a Clemson takeaway on an interception by linebacker Isaiah Simmons late in the third to stay within five points going into the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Justin Fields led an 84yard drive capped by a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Olave as Ohio State went back ahead 23-21 with 11:46 remaining.
Clemson had a final chance starting at its 6-yard line with 3:07 remaining before 71,330 at State Farm Stadium. Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 11 yards then rushed for 11 before a 38-yard pass to wide receiver Amari Rodgers.
The Tigers then capped the lightning four-play drive with a 34-yard pass to running back Travis Etienne to retake the lead with 1:49 remaining. Lawrence rolled out and hit wide receiver Tee Higgins for the two-point conversion, forcing Ohio State to make more than a field goal on its last possession.
The Buckeyes advanced to the Clemson 31-yard line where on third-and-1 quarterback Justin Fields ran for a first down. He then gained three more, setting up a second-and-7 at the Clemson 23 coming out of a timeout with 43 seconds left.
Fields threw over the middle into the end zone where only Clemson free safety Nolan Turner stood as the Ohio State receiver went a different direction. Turner made the interception with 37 seconds remaining.
Like in the second quarter, Ohio State made a critical error in the third with a roughing the punter penalty, extending a drive that eventually covered 99 yards with Clemson taking its first lead.
The Tigers were punting from their 15-yard line when Cameron Brown knocked punter Drue Chrisman to the ground.
Three plays later, Lawrence flipped a screen pass to Etienne, who covered 53 yards for a touchdown and 21-16 lead at 7:54 of the third quarter.
On Clemson’s next offensive possession, a video replay went the Tigers’ way, turning what first was ruled as a fumble by wide receiver Justyn Ross into an incompletion. Ohio State Jordan Fuller picked up the ball and returned it to the end zone but for naught after the review.
Tigers rally in first half
Ohio State dominated the first quarter and half, leading 16-0 thanks primarily
to two runs for a combined 132 yards by J.K. Dobbins.
The first was a 68-yarder through a hole at right guard that put the Buckeyes up 10-0 at 8:35 of the first quarter. Then on the final play of the first, Dobbins cut a stretch play upfield for 64 yards, leading to a field goal for 13-0.
Clemson’s defense played its best early in the red zone or close to it, forcing Blake Haubeil field goals of 21, 22 and 33 yards to keep the Tigers within range while their offense struggled.
The half turned when Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade lowered his head on a sack of Lawrence. Wade was ejected, and the Tigers suddenly had life at the Buckeyes’ 30-yard line.
Amir Riep, who replaced Wade, drew a pass interference penalty two plays later then on a third-and-2, Etienne took a pitch to the right side and turned upfield for an 8-yard touchdown at 2:45 of the second quarter.
Clemson held then came up with an explosive play of its own when Lawrence turned a second-and-10 play into a 67-yard touchdown, faking his past Buckeyes’ free safety Josh Proctor and cutting the Tigers’ halftime deficit to 1614.
Dobbins finished the first half with 142 carries, moving past Eddie George for first place in Ohio State single season rushing.