Sooners lose to Clemson 37-17 in Orange Bowl semifinal game

“They showed why they’re undefeated and the No. 1 team in the country”.

From a protest in the spring to travel woes in the fall, Oklahoma coped with plenty of distractions on its way to the Orange Bowl. Embattled coach Tommy Bowden resigned after six games, and Swinney – who was in charge of receivers – took over as the head coach. However, if that’s not enough, here are four more reasons the Tigers be crowned the kings of college football. There are few pregame rituals in college football as recognizable as the Tigers’ blood-pumping…

It’s time to put that term to rest.

The Clemson Tigers released the following team and player stats after their Orange Bowl win on Thursday. That ended a promising Sooners third-quarter drive at the Clemson 30. His 332 yards of total offense saw him named the game’s most valuable player on offense. There’s nothing the Sooners would love more than to give the Tigers their very first loss and end their Championship dreams.

“We knew Austin was going to be ready”, Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware said. “It was just a matter of when”. The 13-1 Crimson Tide will face the 14-0 Tigers on January 11 for the national championship. But thereafter, he was held to just 28 yards on the ground and the Sooners’ running game, which had accounted for at least 232 yards in each of the final seven games of the season, finished with just 118 yards on 33 carries. “I was glad to see us come out and dominate”. With a quality National Football League arm, good pocket awareness, and a knack for making the big play, Cook will test Alabama deep.

“He establishes who we are”, Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliot said. “People can have their own opinions or whatever, but there ain’t a better one than No. 4. This guy is special in every regard”. Oklahoma got the ball first and immediately went on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 1-yard TD run by Perine that put the Sooners up 7-0. The Sooners led at halftime, but only by the grace of their red zone defense, which held Clemson to one touchdown on four red zone chances in the first half. He had 22 yards on Clemson’s first possession out of halftime, then had a 21-yard dash to spark the Tigers’ next touchdown drive.

The Tigers didn’t just beat the Sooners. Two big third-down conversions fueled the drive: a 17-yard run by Perine, and a 10-yard completion from Mayfield to Dede Westbrook. All-ACC wideout Mike Williams goes down with a neck injury in Week 1.

“We physically won in the trenches”, Swinney said.

The 1999 Orange Bowl between Florida and Syracuse was played at its original home because of a conflict with a Dolphins’ playoff game.

Nebraska, 8-9 in the Miami bowl game, left the conference for the Big Ten in 2010 while Colorado went to the Pac-12.

This national semifinal was starting to look like more than just Clemson’s night. It was the first time in Clemson history the Tigers had two 100-yard rushers in a bowl game.

Clemson’s defense had their sights set on running back Samaje Perine, who only recorded 58 rushing yards. – Rushing Yards: Clemson 312 yards and three scores – Oklahoma 67 yards and a score.