Skip to main content

Brent Venables bristled a bit earlier in the week when he was asked about the Orange Bowl against No. 6 Ohio State being billed as a shootout. 

While the final score, 40-35 in favor of No. 11 Clemson, may have indicated that was the case, its defensive coordinator could smile afterward knowing his unit made the plays that sealed the victory. 

The Tigers forced four second-half turnovers, including a fumble and interception on the Buckeyes’ last two possessions, to rally from a halftime deficit for the win. 

It was not all defense for Clemson, as Sammy Watkins set Tiger and Orange Bowl records with 16 receptions and 227 receiving yards to garner MVP honors, and Tajh Boyd accounted for 505 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. Despite outgaining Ohio State by 108 yards and largely dominating on both sides of the ball, the Tigers trailed at halftime 22-20. 

But the Tigers cashed in on two third-quarter turnovers by the Buckeyes, as Watkins and Martavis Bryant made acrobatic catches in the end zone to put Clemson on top entering the fourth quarter. 

Stanton Seckinger put Clemson ahead with a five-yard catch with 6:16 left, and takeaways by Spencer Shuey and Stephone Anthony finished off Ohio State. 

Things looked bleak for the Tigers after Ohio State stretched its lead to 29-20 and got another stop to open the second half. Clemson got a break after its offense had been forced to punt, as Corey Brown muffed a punt and Clemson recovered at the Ohio State 33. The Tigers cashed in, as Watkins made an acrobatic catch for a 30-yard touchdown that narrowed Ohio State’s lead to 29-27. 

The Tiger defense kept the momentum going on the ensuing drive. On third-and-eight, pressure flushed Braxton Miller out of the pocket and his pass to the sideline was intercepted by Jayron Kearse to give Clemson the ball at the Ohio State 38. 

Bryant then hauled in a juggling catch in the corner of the end zone to put the Tigers back on top 34-29 with 32 seconds left in the third quarter. 

After the Buckeyes regained the lead, the Tigers went back in front on a five-yard grab by Seckinger, whom Boyd found wide open for the touchdown. The score put Clemson on top 40-35 with 6:16 remaining. 

With the Buckeyes facing third-and-13 on the ensuing drive, Bashaud Breeland crashed in on a corner blitz and hit Miller, the ball popped loose and Shuey snatched it out of the air at the Ohio State 47. 

The Tigers gave the ball right back, as Ohio State came up with an interception three plays later, but Anthony picked Miller off two plays later to get the ball back for Clemson and seal the win.