Looking Back: Clemson-Ohio State 2019

Trevor Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter to give No. 3 Clemson the lead and Nolan Turner intercepted Ohio State’s Justin Fields in the end zone with 37 seconds remaining, as the Tigers erased a 16-point first half deficit to defeat No. 2 Ohio State 29-23 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

Joe Camporeale USA Today Sports

With the win, Clemson earned its fourth championship game appearance in five years and extended Clemson’s national-best winning streak to 29 games.

The Tigers trailed 16-0 in the first half before two touchdowns in the second quarter cut the Buckeye lead to 16-14.

Clemson scored a touchdown in the third quarter to take a 21-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

Ohio State retook the lead with 11:46 remaining, 23- 21.

With 1:49 remaining, Lawrence found Etienne for a 34-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead. Turner recorded Clemson’s second interception of the contest, picking off Fields in the end zone to seal the 29-23 victory for the Tigers.

Lawrence completed 18-of-33 passes for 259 yards and two passing touchdowns. The sophomore ran for a career-best 107 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown rush in the second quarter, the longest rush of his career.

Etienne recorded his third and fourth receiving touchdown of the season, taking a pass from Lawrence 53 yards to the end zone in the second quarter, and a 34-yard touchdown in the final minutes of the game to put the Tigers ahead.

Etienne led Clemson in receiving with three receptions for 98 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. The Clemson defense intercepted Fields two times, one by Butkus Award winner Isaiah Simmons and one to seal the game by Turner. Prior to the game, Fields had only thrown one interception on the season.