Clemson Team Returning To West End Zone at 5 PM

Clemson defeated the #4-ranked Oklahoma Sooners 37-17 in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night, shutting out the Sooners, who were favored to win the game, in the second half.

It’s halftime at the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma leading Clemson 17-16 after Zack Sanchez intercepted a pass from the Tigers’ Deshaun Watson in the end zone to keep the Sooners on top in the final seconds.

The Sooners (11-2) came into the game as favorites, but the Tigers showed their flawless record was no fluke.

Despite that, Lawson said after the game that he expects to be able to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on January 11.

Clemson will do that in a big way if it can hold off the Crimson Tide defense, which limited Michigan State to 29 yards rushing.

In a game that was billed as a matchup of two explosive offenses, Clemson star quarterback Deshaun Watson did his part, passing for 187 yards and a touchdown and adding 145 yards and another score on the ground.

Clemson officially has the attention of the world, and the team’s leaders were still clicking following the final game whistle. After returning on the second drive and notching a sack of quarterback Baker Mayfield, Lawson did not play after the first quarter. “I’m just so proud of our team for their willingness to be coached, their willingness to prepare each and every week, each and every game”.

The players said they were more focused and promised to be more prepared, more precise in their execution and more relentless in their effort.

Watson certainly lived up to the hype of being a Heisman finalist. After Oklahoma scored easily on the opening drive, the Tigers spent much of the night keeping Mayfield, who over recent weeks had (rightfully) inspired Johnny Manziel comparisons, off balance and in check, something no team accomplished since Texas in early October. With the victory, the Tigers will move on to the National Championship in Glendale, Arizona where they will face the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Tigers played loose throughout, even pulling off some special teams trickery to set up their first TD.

But Swinney’s aggressive message should encourage his players to seize the moment for a school that won its only previous national championship in 1981.

Mayfield threw for 311 yards but was sacked five times, and threw two interceptions in Clemson territory in the second half.

So, as you might expect, Dabo was dancing in the locker room after the game.

What happened: The Sooners got back into Clemson territory with Mayfield’s 18-yard scramble, but on second-and-10 at the Tigers’ 40, he faked a handoff, dropped back to pass and immediately looked over the middle for Quick.

His teammates did fine without him. Wayne Gallman rushed for 150 yards and a pair of TDs. Punter Andy Teasdall flipped a 31-yard pass to Christian Wilkins, a 315-pound freshman defensive tackle.

For Oklahoma, it was a disappointing end to a comeback season.

With a laugh, Swinney said: “We shocked them didn’t we?”

This season was an upgrade, but it ended similarly to past year, with a definitive loss to Clemson at bowl time. And yet Clemson enters the new year standing as one of two teams with national championship hopes alive, joining Cotton Bowl victor Alabama, the gold standard for modern football programs.

“Coming into this game, I had a feeling that we were about to play the best game of football we’ve ever played”, Darlington said.

There’s no Clemsoning with this bunch.