Trailing 42-30, North Carolina reached the Clemson 36-yard line with less than seven minutes to play before Williams fumbled on a sack.
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Between Joel Berry, Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks, Nate Britt, Theo Pinson, Paige, Johnson and Jackson, North Carolina has eight different players who can score 10 or more points against any team in the country on any given night.
No. 12 Baylor’s season has gone from sweet to bitter and battered.
The Tar Heels needed only one play after a Clemson punt, with Williams’ toss to running back T.J. Logan resulting in a 46-yard touchdown play.
Run, pass and catch. The quarterback cemented his spot as a finalist, if not more, at next week’s Heisman Trophy ceremony in NY.
Deshaun Watson did everything in his power to ensure Clemson’s ideal season continued. He completed 11 of his 33 attempts and often appeared helpless amid the Tigers’ tenacious pass rush.
It didn’t come without some suspense. With 3:52 left in the 2nd quarter Marquise Williams threw it to Ryan Switzer for the 3 yard touchdown to put the Tar Heels back on top during this topsy-turvy game. North Carolina was forced to try another onside kick and Clemson recovered. “That’s all I’m going to say about it. They were wrong”, UNC coach Larry Fedora said.
Clemson looked every bit like the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday, artfully taking care of business against North Carolina. “If I get invited I’ll enjoy the ride, enjoy the process and just have fun with it”.
HOUSTON – Greg Ward, Jr. ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and No. 17 Houston got a 24-13 win over 20th-ranked Temple in the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship game on Saturday. Anybody else got that?
Dabo Swinney sat in front of reporters at Bank of America Stadium wearing an orange Clemson jersey given to him by his players with the number 100 embroidered across the front.
Watson himself said Sunday that he would be excited to get an invitation to the Heisman ceremony, but that he is not going to let it concern him if he does not receive the award. “You never want to leave the game in the ref’s hands, but we did everything we were supposed to do on that play”. The Tar Heels are behind No. 1 Michigan State (62 first place votes) and No. 2 Kansas (1 first place vote).
Seems like at least two officials had a flawless view of the play right on the line of scrimmage.
“A lot of people thought we were going to come out here and just lay an egg, but we didn’t”, said Williams, who played high school football in Charlotte.
Down 9-7 to start the second quarter, Watson guided the Tigers on a 12-play, 96-yard drive, including a run and pass on two third-and-long conversions. Gallman scored on a 3-yard touchdown run and Watson connected with Scott on a 35-yard scoring strike in the end zone to build a 35-16 lead.
“That’s what happens when Clemson clinches early”, Swinney said. “I have no answer”.
Ultimately, the Tar Heels were unable to contain a potent Clemson offense led by ACC Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy hopeful Deshaun Watson.
He struck the Heisman pose after the game.
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“All you media people were asking me about the polls six weeks ago and I told you it didn’t matter”, Swinney said.
