Clemson Tigers scheduled to arrive in SC Friday afternoon

Oklahoma was no match for Clemson and ultimately fell 37-17, which by any account was merciful.

Looking to become the first team in FBS history to finish 15-0, Clemson will face Alabama in the January 11 national championship game in Glendale, Arizona.

37 (Orange Bowl semifinal): Things started out well for Oklahoma with an early touchdown by Samaje Perine, but the Tigers did the one thing they needed to in order to stop Oklahoma: They didn’t let anything else come from the running game, holding the Sooners to just 67 yards on 33 carries.

Scoring two plays later, the Sooners appeared to be in control of the game while the defense took the field forcing the Tigers to punt the ball away after six plays.

All five of members of the offensive line received honors on one of the three all-Atlantic Coast Conference postseason teams.

“This championship drive, talent doesn’t win the game”, defensive end Eric Striker said.

And, boy, they both look impressive.

As a sophomore last season, Bosa had 13.5 sacks and 55 total tackles as the Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff.

Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Christian Wilkins (42) catches a pass on a fake punt against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half of the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium.

While you’re doing that, Clemson will be busy doing something else: getting ready to play for a national championship.

There’s another story line to the title game. The Sooners looked quicker and more physical in the first quarter of play, but the Tigers rang up over 250 yards of offense in the second quarter, and despite Deshaun Watson’s interception at the end of the first half Clemson went into the locker room knowing it was the better team.

Now, he’s going against the greatest coach of this generation.

If Alabama shuts down Clemson’s run game, it will go a long way in helping Alabama win its fourth national championship in seven years. It was just a matter of when. Clemson has now defeated Oklahoma in consecutive bowls on the heels of beating LSU and Ohio State.

“I think a year ago when we came to this game, we were happy just to take part in the game”, Alabama coach Nick Saban said following the game.

These teams have been on a collision course since Clemson and Alabama were ranked 1-2 in the second College Football Playoff rankings.

Best team ever? Well, that would be debatable.

Despite Clemson’s undefeated record, Oklahoma entered Thursday favored in the game. They won with a little more heart and they brought their own guts on a night where Oklahoma faltered under the onslaught of orange.

A team once known for such inexplicable stumbles that a derisive term was coined for it — Clemsoning — blew out the No. 4 Sooners over the final two quarters after trailing 17-16 at halftime.

Mayfield wasn’t the only Sooner undone by the Tigers’ muscle.

Clemson shouldn’t be in awe of Alabama. On the day, Gallman rushed for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“As a unit”, Watson said, “it’s tough to beat us when we’re all on the same page and have each other’s back”.

Junior defensive end Shaq Lawson, a consensus All-American who came into Thursday’s game tied for the Football Bowl Subdivision lead in tackles for loss, suffered a knee injury on Clemson’s first defensive series of the game.