With Clemson-LSU set, fans have a two-week wait until title game

The College Football Playoff national championship game is set. On one side, defending champion Clemson, with its 29-game winning streak. On the other, unbeaten and No. 1 LSU, with its record-setting offense and Heisman winner.

But first, we interrupt this playoff for a two-week break that is far from ideal.

LSU and Clemson will play the college football finale Jan. 13 in New Orleans after winning semifinals Saturday night.

Heisman winner Joe Burrow and his Tigers routed Oklahoma 63-28 at the Peach Bowl. Clemson beat No. 2 Ohio State 29-23 in a Fiesta Bowl thriller.

“The challenge is keeping the conversation in the forefront against two weeks of NFL,” said Nick Dawson, ESPN’s vice president of programming and acquisitions.

Clemson aided by replay calls in Fiesta victory,

GLENDALE, ARIZONA — Blaring from the Clemson locker room after yet another playoff victory was Aretha Franklin’s classic “Respect.”

The Tigers have won two of the last three national titles and have become college football’s gold standard program, yet continually feel overlooked. Doubted. Disrespected.

Sure, Clemson ran roughshod through the Atlantic Coast Conference. But was it too easy?

Facing a serious challenger for the first time in months and overcoming a 16-0 deficit, No. 3 Clemson and its perfect quarterback had to tap into their championship DNA to advance to the College Football Playoff title game for the fourth time in five years.

Trevor Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne on a 34-yard, go-ahead touchdown with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter, capping a 94-yard march, and the defending national champions beat No. 2 Ohio State 29-23 Saturday night in the Fiesta Bowl.

“We finish,” said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, whose Tigers are 100-2 since 2011 when leading going into the fourth quarter. “That’s not just who we are. That’s what we do.”

The Tigers (14-0) will play No. 1 LSU on Jan. 13 in New Orleans, looking for their third national title in the last four seasons.

Clemson played only one close game this season, a one-pointer way back in September against North Carolina.

“Everybody kept saying we didn’t play nobody, that we blow out teams. Tonight showed what we can do,” Clemson receiver Tee Higgins said. “We showed everybody we got fight in us.”

Ohio State (13-1) proved to be every bit Clemson’s match, though the Buckeyes walked away frustrated by several close officiating calls. Especially two video reviews that could have gone either way.

“One play can alter the game,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “It didn’t seem like we got any of those plays.”

The Buckeyes’ 19-game winning streak was snapped as they lost for the first time with Day.

Fiesta Bowl referee Ken Williamson defended two key calls that went Clemson’s way after video review. A crew of officials from the Southeastern Conference worked the game.

Replay officials initiated a video review that led to a targeting call on Ohio State defensive back Shaun Wade in the second quarter after he had sacked Lawrence on a third-and-5. Wade hit the bracing quarterback hard enough to keep him down on the turf for a few minutes. No flag was thrown on the field, but replay review spotted helmet-to-helmet contact.

Not only was Wade ejected, but what would have been a fourth down became a first down for Clemson at the Ohio State 30.

“Initial contact was with the crown of the helmet,” Williamson said. “Then he wrapped up for the tackle. So at that point, targeting was properly called.”

A few plays later, Travis Etienne fought off a tackler with a stiff arm and scored from 8 yards out for Clemson to make it 16-7 with 2:45 left in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, with Clemson up 21-16, the Buckeyes appeared to score a touchdown after Clemson receiver Justyn Ross was stripped of the ball by Ohio State All-American Jeff Okudah and the fumble was returned to the end zone by Jordan Fuller.

Video review overturned the call on the field and ruled Ross never completed the catch.

Day tried not to criticize the officiating in his postgame comments.

“I think when we look back on it, it is going to be overwhelming,” he said.

GETTY IMAGES To remain undefeated in his college career, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence delivered big time Saturday with a come-from-behind, four-play, 94-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter.