After all, if not for several Clemson mishaps in the red zone in the first half, the Tigers might have actually led 37-17 at halftime instead of trailing by a point.
Advertisement
Bryant wins one last time in Boston
He reminded them all they needed to do was go home and win two games. “I grew up a really big historian of the game”, Bryant said. Bryant finished with a team-high 20 points in the Lakers 108-98 loss and said that he was moved by the cheers from the crowd.
No. 16 Okla. St. vs. No. 12 Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m. And after hitting the Sooners so hard the Tigers didn’t even feel it, Clemson looked salty enough in the trenches to bust down one more door and win a national title.
NHL Winter Classic: 5 storylines from Canadiens-Bruins outdoor game
So far this season, Marchand has been the Bruins leading scorer with 26 points (15 goals and 11 assists in 34 games). Needless to say, Montreal fans have to be pretty happy with how the New Year’s Day event started for their team.
“How ’bout them Tigers, baby?”
Tom Brady, Julian Edelman have fun with Winter Classic on social media
The game started off fast as David Desharnais got a quick goal past Tuukka Rast off of a face off 1:14 into the first period. Eyewitness News spoke with several fans who said they are rooting for the Bruins during the big game on New Year’s Day.
“How ’bout them Tigers, baby?” coach Dabo Swinney screamed from the middle of the field, standing with a trophy full of oranges. “It’s the will. They had that edge and a will about them in the second half”.
Digitally, the semifinal games were the second and third most streamed college football games on WatchESPN, trailing only last season’s national championship. “It won’t be much longer”.
Gallman broke free for a 21-yard run on the next play and it took only four more snaps for Clemson to truly break its opponent when Renfrow caught a 35-yard touchdown for a 13-point lead late in the fourth.
“We’d like to enjoy this game for 24 hours, but Clemson’s got a great team”, Saban said Thursday night.
Behind Watson, Clemson is ranked 11 nationally in total offense and put up 530 yards of total offense Thursday against an Oklahoma defense that was tied for 29 nationally in total defense. Watson has only thrown 11 interceptions, but has thrown interceptions against comparable pass defenses from Louisville and North Carolina. The Sooners were the first to score, though, with a touchdown by Samaje Perine in the beginning of the first.
Thursday’s tripleheader of action on ESPN, which included the Peach Bowl between Houston and Florida State earlier in the day, averaged a 7.7 overnight rating.
“We’re not anxious about who we play”, said linebacker Ben Boulware, named the defensive MVP.
If college football fans squint their eyes just right when Clemson rubs on “Howard’s Rock” and then runs down the hill in Death Valley amid thunderous cheers, many would swear they were attending an SEC football game.
“I’m going to be back”, he vowed. “No. 91”-defensive end Charles Tapper-“I’ve never heard about him until this year, and he wouldn’t shut his mouth”. He insisted he was healthy before the Orange Bowl and proved it. He’ll need to be 100 percent if the Tigers want to contain the Heisman Trophy victor. They pulled off some special teams trickery to set up their first TD. He completed 25 of 30 passes for 286 yards.
Clemson scored its first touchdown two plays later, early in the second quarter, responding to a middling first quarter with an aggressive gamble that paid off. There was to be no tentativeness, and no lack of confidence.
For Oklahoma, it was a disappointing end to a comeback season.
“They played in a more physical way than we did”, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. However, he was sacked five times and intercepted twice.
But on top of Dominique Alexander and linebacker Jordan Evans, the Sooners boast budding standouts in versatile safety Steven Parker, consistent cornerback Jordan Thomas and menacing defensive tackle Charles Walker, who was out with a concussion and whose absence in the Orange Bowl was felt.
Advertisement
But the biggest takeaway from this Tigers victory should be the way Clemson rag-dolled Oklahoma in the trenches, something that could portend it bringing home the school’s first national title since 1981.
