There was no “Clemsoning” on this night …
Staring down a fourth quarter deficit against a Top Ten opponent, Clemson University’s football team overcame costly penalties and late turnovers to earn a hard-fought 40-35 victory over Ohio State in the 2014 Discover Orange Bowl – exorcising the demons of their 2012 blowout loss to West Virginia.
“Hey, listen: Two years ago we got our butts kicked all over this field,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “And it has been a journey to get back. We’re 22-4 since that night. And we are the first team from the state of South Carolina to ever win a BCS game.”
Not on this night …
Clemson and Ohio State engaged in a pitched battle of college football behemoths – with the Tigers (11-2, 7-1 ACC) rallying past the Buckeyes (12-2, 8-0 Big Ten) in a game that more than lived up to its advance billing.
In his final game in orange and white (unless he gets drafted by the Browns or Bengals), Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd completed 31 of 40 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for 127 yards and another score – a 48-yard touchdown scamper on the Tigers opening drive of the game.
Boyd did throw a pair of interceptions, including a pick late in the fourth quarter that gave Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller and the Buckeye offense a chance to drive for the go-ahead score. Clemson’s defense came through on the very next play, though – with linebacker Stephone Anthony intercepting Miller with just over a minute left to play.
Miller – who entered the year as a Heisman Trophy favorite – completed 16 of 24 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He picked up another two touchdowns on the ground, although he spent most of the game grimacing from the shots he took from a rejuvenated Clemson defense.
The Buckeyes – playing without their top defensive end (Noah Spence) and their best defensive back (Bradley Roby) – were shredded for 576 yards of total offense. They simply had no answer for Clemson’s passing attack, most notably All-American wide receiver Sammy Watkins- who set both school and Orange Bowl records with 227 receiving yards.
Watkins will forego his senior year at Clemson to enter the 2014 NFL draft – and based on his performance against Ohio State his stock is no doubt soaring right now.
Despite its poor defensive performance, Ohio State appeared to be taking over the game in the third quarter – jumping out to a 29-20 lead on running back Carlos Hyde’s leaping 1-yard touchdown with six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Buckeye defense forced a rare “three-and-out” on the next series, but that’s when disaster struck for Ohio State.
Wide receiver Philly Brown muffed a Bradley Pinion punt – and three plays later Boyd and Watkins made them pay with a 30-yard touchdown strike.
With its Orange Bowl victory, Clemson has now won 11 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. The Tigers are also the only program in the country to beat a Top Ten BCS opponent in both the 2012 and 2013 postseason. Meanwhile Buckeyes’ coach Urban Meyer – who won his first 24 games at Ohio State – has now lost two in a row.
One bittersweet note? Clemson’s victory will likely help arch-rival South Carolina move up higher in the final Top 25 rankings. The Gamecocks (11-2, 6-2 SEC) – who have taken five straight games in this in-state rivalry – defeated Wisconsin earlier this week to secure their third consecutive 11-win season.
44 comments
Clemson:
The only team from SC to ever win a BCS Bowl game….
BEATCHEZZZZZZ!
And the second SC team to post an 11-2 season.
Those Oranges don’t hunt!
It would be a lot easier to “do the right thing” and pull for the “other” SC team if it weren’t for the angry little redneck Dabo screaming all of the time in his Wal-Mart sweatshirt. We heard him shouting the whole “only SC team ever…” thing last night all three times he said it. I think he rehearsed that as much as their game plan. Congrats, though, to all you taters. Ended the season on a high note and made SC look good (except for Dabo, of course). Another Big Ten team sent packing from SC (well, Florida) with their tails between their legs…
What’s less classy, a Walmart sweatshirt or a Kmart visor?
What Dabo said is fact, just like Ol’ Ball Sack spouted off the other night. Final rankings are forgotten once the preseason polls come out. Recruits remember where the teams went bowling.
LMAO, no one remembers bowls that dont involve titles
I’d think recruits know.
What the fuck am I talking about, football players and thinking. That shit ended around 1966.
Facts are persistent truths aren’t they TBG?
Isnt South Carolina the only team in South Carolina to win 2 Capital One Bowls? and 3 straight 11 win seasons? Whats your point? Clemson cant keep it under double digits in 5 years of losing to Carolina, congrats on your big bowl win. But it means the same as the rest. Just a win.
BCS Bowl > Capital One Bowl
But TBG was just riffin’ on Dabo’s statement …which was in response to Spurrier’s statement…. ; )
last call..
Way to go Clem5on. you beat a team in a game that neither team should have been in. Change all the facts, and the rules, that kept 3 other teams, that all also won their bowl game too, that should have been there instead of you all you want. There are still 2 facts that are so true they eat you alive. USC still beat you and USC is still going to be ranked higher than you. That has to suck. but good job on something USC could have just as easily done too. USC beat that same team the last 2 times they played too. or is that in the past? kind of like your whole argument of the past. does it count or is it in the past? USC beat you this year, and will finish better nationally. so which one counts, oh yeah, all that point to USC as being better
Boy someone’s got their defensive panties in a bunch.
5 in a row bitch
Not being a Tater fan I really don’t care. If that’s the biggest thing to happen in your life, good for you. I just don’t like the smug arrogance of Dirtpecker fans… I’ve lived in several different parts of the country and have never seen anything like USC fans before.
Tennessee
Boy are you just a little jealous – get over it – Clemson has a BCS win and SC doesn’t – suck it!!
Tennessee was 1-6 against Top 25 teams and 2-6 in SEC conference play. Don’t lose to them if you want to be in the BCS bowl mix.
still ranked higher than clem5on along with 2 other teams that should have been there. what else do you have? 4-0 against top 25 teams going in vs, 0-2 what else you got? point made!! check mate!! #luckytobethere
Who was 4-0 against top 25 teams? Georgia was in the top 25 when they beat USC. And who was 0-2? Clemson was 1-2 against top 10 teams going into this game and ended the season 2-2 against them. Admittedly, USC is a better (more consistent) team right now, but Clemson has nothing to be ashamed of given that their only two losses this season will end up being against the probable national champion (FSU) and another team that will probably end the season in the top 5 (USC). I am proud to see both teams from SC doing well. Alabama is the only other state with two teams on par with what USC and Clemson have accomplished the last couple of years.
What I want to know is where this Clemson defense was when they played USC?
It was a VERY over-rated OSU team that made Clemson’s D look good. Clemson is much better than the past, but still not BCS level, like SC is.
“Shut the fuck up Donny”,
…over-rated OSU team…
The Dept. of Redundancy Department on Line 1….
THE Ohio State University football team is always over-rated.
Give the “Dabo” his due. Clemson is better than Ohio St. but neither belonged in a BCS bowl. OSU is a very average football team, but the NCAA bowl rules are ridiculous.
Enjoy it. The cupboard is bare now. Tajh was a surprise success and you have no one near Sammy’s level, left. He’d be ignorant to stay. He’ll never be worth more than he is right now.
And all of the losses increase exponentially if Chad Morris leaves. Clemson should seriously consider demoting Dabo and making Chad HBC…or they will be SCREWED when Morris bolts, as he itching to do. You could even get “Malzahned” if Chad is smart enough.
And: In a way I was surprised at how un-prepared Ohio St. was. But I think most of the country thought the Buckeyes were over-rated. Now we know they are over-rated. How did that team go undefeated for so deep into the season?
Also: Clemson has the size of an SEC team, OSU looked like the size of the rest of the ACC (Small.) The fact that OSC was leading in the fourth should have Tater fans very concerned. They would have been demolished by a quality team.
I’m not arguing that Clemson is anywhere near contending for a national championship, but I think they are definitely a legitimate top 8-10 team. You can’t deny that they have had two very solid seasons in a row given that three of their four losses have been to top ten teams (USC was 12 when they played last year,but they ended the season in the top 10) and they have beaten three top 10 teams (two from the SEC) in that time.
Clemson may very well tank after this season with all their losses (Boyd and McDowell and more than likely Watkins, Beasley and Bryant), but they have recruited well over the past couple years and should have some guys ready to step up next year. USC could be hurting as well losing Shaw, Thompson, Clowney, Ellington, Hampton, and maybe more.
And you’re right regarding Chad Morris. I’d be surprised to see him back next year with all the coaching vacancies out there right now.
Well put, however, “The USC” does have 3 excellent QB’s in uniform and ready to throw to a young and talented receiver corps starting next year against a Manziel-less Texas A@M. Go Gamecocks! Go Connor Mitch!
Clemson has a couple talented QB’s lined up for next year as well, Stoudt (who has more experience than any of USC’s remaining QB’s) and Kelly (the #5 QB in the nation coming out of high school two years ago). They also have a few solid receivers coming back and an outside chance that Bryant might stay for his senior year given all the other WRs that will be in the draft. I think their offense will be ok, but the defense will be the big question as they will be losing Beasley and at least a couple of their starting defensive backs.
But: SC’s back=-up has beaten Clemson. The greatest QB in Clemson history Never beat SC…
You have to be Crazy comparing Stoudt to any SC back-up….unless you are thinking Stoudt will be a s futile as Boyd.
I’ll take full credit for the win against OSU! I heard everyone’s prayers…you’re welcome!
Tennessee beeootch!!!
There it is!!! “Wait ’til next year!!!” I think that’s the first I’ve heard it this year. USC fans are already preparing for a national championship,just like at the beginning of every season. Now as scripted, after their first loss of the season these same people will be calling for coaches heads, the team sucks and they’ll be lucky to go 6-6. USC fans are so predictable.
The Tigers and Gamecocks each had a very good football year but you frustrated high school bench warmers need to get a life.
The South Carolina Gamecocks are the most recent football team to win against, humiliate, and hold to 17 points while scoring 31 points themselves during the regular season against the first South Carolina football team to win a BCS bowl game, the Clemson Tigers. WTG Gamecocks!!!
Good game Clemson, glad you beat the snot out of “the” Ohio State Bucktooths.
Mizzou also won their bowl. Guess who beat them too? That should tell you if USC is a BCS capable team. Go Cocks!
You remember that Mizzou didn’t have their starting QB when USC beat them, right? Not saying that USC is not a very good team, but the outcome of that might probably would have been different if Franklin was on the field that day.
If Clemson had not played South Carolina the last 5 years they would have had 5 less loses! If? Also remember Ohio State had two starters not dressed!
True enough.
Did Tennessee go to a bowl game and I don’t mean Middle Tennessee. What was the score of the Georgia bowl game.
The officials were ridiculous, pulling some crazy shit outta da hat.
The announcers were obviously paid by Ohio.
The whole damned TV crew spewed about how good Ohio was, then said, well, to the victor goes the spoils, ’cause we HAVE to.
Clemson tried to lose the game, they just couldn’t and won in spite of themselves. They were working on their own version of the chicken curse, a chinga el gato, if you will.
I’m still glad Clemson won.
I was thinking the announcers were kissing OSU’s @$$. Its the first time I have enjoyed obviously biased !=-Hole announcers. Tater fans had a right to be disgusted with them, until about the 4th qtr. when they began to realize how impotent OSU is…
Typical dirtpecker fan. This is why people who could care less hate USC fans.Had USC played OSU, OSU would be touted as a championship caliber team.
I have no problem with USC fans. The dirt peckers are a different breed.
Re: WHICH FOOTBALL PROGRAM HAD THE BETTER 2013 SEASON?
Neither team won their respective division.
Clemson did not lose to anyone that they *should* beat handily.
*Though they sure came close @ NC State.
*TBG is glad they didn’t have to play Duke.
Sakerlina lost on Rock Top…*sings*… Rocky Top Tennessee.
FSU beat Clemson so bad that it should count twice.
Sakerlina beat Clemson.
ITBGHO, Sakerlina had the best season cuz y’all beat us.
Lord, don’t go to the Red Bank Wal-Mart. It’s worse that Black Friday. there is a stampeded of heifers in the Clemson apparel section…
Yesterday there were 2,000 Tater flags…They were sold out by 10 a.m. today…Orange flapping in the wind. LMAO…have seen anything like it since I saw Brad Scott at the West Columbia Ryans breakfast buffet.
Get out the way…They Back!!!!…World Champions of college football again…
I was in a Lexington Walmart and saw the same the but all the women were wearing maroon mumus.
I wonder how far Dirtpecker U. would have gone had they just beat Tennessee? I guess we’ll never know.