Junior Ryan Switzer had 29 punt-return yards against Clemson, giving him 976 career yards in that category, breaking Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice’s mark of 976 yards generated from 1946-49.
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In our recap show, we discussed keys to the victory, how 13-0 feels as a Tigers fan, and what 25 days rest will mean to a team that last had a breather in September. Each time North Carolina threatened, Clemson answered.
“It’s indescribable really, I mean it’s fun, it’s the environment it’s great, it’s one of the best things in the world to be at”, said Brent Boyter.
SAN DIEGO – Donny Hageman kicked a 46-yard field goal with 5:10 to go and San Diego State beat Air Force 27-24 to win the Mountain West Conference championship, the Aztecs’ first outright title since 1986.
Mike Holloway rushed for 120 yards and two second-quarter touchdowns and Charleston Southern won its first-ever FCS playoff game 14-6 over The Citadel on Saturday. Instead, North Carolina went home empty-handed and awaiting their bowl fate. The “Tide’s running back Derrick Henry had another stellar performance with 189 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries, while quarterback Jake Coker completed 18 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns”. A two-point conversion pass failed.
The Tar Heels held a 16-14 lead at the time of the foul.
In a playoff system tailor-made for debate, no one questions Clemson’s place among college football’s elite programs in 2015.
“Honestly, it’s just been a blessing”, Watson said in a post-game interview when asked to describe his journey from being pursued by other schools, to his knee injury, to taking over as quarterback of Clemson, and winning a conference title. However, UNC was flagged for being offside on the play – it was a controversial call.
The Tigers got constant pressure on No. 8 North Carolina (11-2) quarterback Marquise Williams.
Watson ended the half going 19-of-32 passing for 191 yards and two scores.
Clemson turned that into a 97-yard drive with Gallman scoring on a 3-yard run. This season, he has 867 yards, 81 of them against Clemson.
Clemson would make a little history on the ensuing drive.
Wayne Gallman then broke through for a 20-yard run on the second play of another long drive, this one for 97 yards, capped by his 3-yard touchdown run.
Clemson led in most statistical categories in this game with 608 total yards, 38:56 of time of possession, and only turning the ball over once, compared to two UNC turnovers.
“I don’t know if we would have gone down and scored”, he said, “but it was like a minute and eight seconds left on the clock and we should have had the ball at about midfield, and the way we had moved it the last couple series I would have felt pretty good about that”.
The Tigers took 57 first-half snaps on offense.
He accounted for 290 yards and three total touchdowns while leading Clemson to a 21-16 halftime lead.
North Carolina would respond. UNC (11-2) will head to a lower tier bowl game. The score put the Tigers up 42-23. But it didn’t help the Tar Heels, either.
Williams connected with Switzer on TD passes of 3 and 17 yards, the second pulling North Carolina within 45-37. 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.
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Yet still, Fedora found himself afterward talking about his team’s grit.
