Clemson is heading to the College Football Playoff undefeated. “Unbelievable play on the ball, but that’s what you’ve got to do to win games like this”. Championship teams find different ways to win.
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Starting from his own 4-yard line, Watson’s receivers dropped the ball a couple times, so he chose to use his legs to single-handedly rip Gene Chizik’s Carolina defense to shreds. And then dominated the second half because of running back Wayne Gallman. All UNC needed was a correctly executed onside kick, with the College Football Playoff & North Carolina’s probabilities of moving up, at stake.
That was ambitious, but the Tar Heels at least proved against the nation’s No. 1 team that they were a team deserving of a spot in the top 10, despite their meager resume.
The Tigers racked up a conference championship game record 608 yards, eclipsing the 500-yard mark for the ninth consecutive game. “They were bringing a lot of heat on the early downs – first and second downs – and they were getting us into second- and third-and-longs”. Two plays later, the Heisman candidate found his tailback, Gallman, wide open down the sideline for the game’s first touchdown.
“What a great interception Cordrea had, unbelievable”, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “What a crowd. It felt like a home crowd and I just can’t thank our fans enough”.
Despite the poor passing numbers, Williams still managed 224 yards and 3 touchdowns. He followed an 11-yard scurry on 3rd-and-8 with a 33-yard sprint that took the Tigers past mid-field-before finally running in the score from 9 yards out later in the drive.
ABC cameras caught Swinney repeatedly blasting Teasdall after his botched fake punt play, which led to a North Carolina touchdown and a Tar Heel lead, 16-14, in the second quarter.
The Tar Heels (11-2) appeared to recover the ensuing onside kick, but they were called for being offside – although TV replays didn’t show any player in a blue jersey being offside – and had to kick again.
Green’s personal foul (roughing) came in North Carolina’s first offensive drive, which ended with a UNC field goal.
Had the call not been made, the Tar Heels would have had the ball at their own 48-yard line.
“I had a chance to look at it, and they missed it”, said Fedora, North Carolina’s head coach.
Williams said he was proud of how his team played. “We’ll be pulling for them”. But he was also under pressure the entire game.
Swinney oringinally told fans they would have the “biggest pizza party ever” when the first college playoff rankings came out. But the Heels had scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and seemed to have an answer for every Clemson drive. But Clemson put together scoring drives of 68, 75, 96 and 97 yards. Clemson scored on their next drive off a 35-yard touchdown pass to Artavis Scott from Deshaun Watson.
With a 35-16 lead and the ball, it looked good for Clemson until North Carolina defensive tackle Nazair Jones intercepted a Watson pass and the Tar Heels closed within 35-23. After using up almost two minutes of game clock, Watson found Jordan Leggett for a 1-yard touchdown pass to give the Tigers a 21-16 lead before the half.
On the Carolina side, Marquise Williams, who had a poor outing in the season-opening loss to SC in Charlotte, wasn’t much better in his return to Bank of America Stadium.
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Up by three scores at that point, the Tigers went into cruise control the rest of the way-much like the Tar Heels have done all year long.
