Clemson Football: Ohio State needs to just take the ‘L’ already

No matter what Ohio State fans or alumni want to believe, Clemson football beat the Buckeyes Saturday night in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl.

No matter how much complaining is done, that won’t change the fact that Clemson football won the Playstation Fiesta Bowl.

It’s been four days since the Tigers took down the Ohio State Buckeyes out in Glendale, Arizona and Buckeye fans are still claiming that their team was somehow robbed Saturday night by the officiating crew.

We’ve heard how they didn’t agree with the Justyn Ross incompletion or how Shaun Wade’s targeting wasn’t really targeting- even though it was. But for some reason, Ohio State fans are seeming to forget moments that went in the Buckeyes’ favor and how they weren’t able to convert.

Here’s just a few:

• Clemson’s best WR Tee Higgins was injured on the first drive and didn’t play the entire first half.
• Clemson dropped three interceptions, one of which would’ve been an easy pick-six.
• A coverage burst that resulted in a touchdown on 4th down to keep Ohio State in the game.

Oh, and in addition to Clemson making a few mistakes that kept Ohio State in the game, the Buckeyes had their fair share of chances to beat the Tigers, as well.

• Ohio State settled for three FGs in the first half. If only one was a touchdown, momentum could’ve been different.
• Ohio State had the ball with an opportunity to deliver a knockout blow in the fourth and eventually punted back to Clemson.
• Ohio State had Clemson pinned deep in their own territory and only had to stop the Tigers. They didn’t.
• Ohio State then got the ball back and drove down the Tigers’ 23-yard line. But then Justin Fields threw an interception.

If that wasn’t enough for you, here’s an interesting stat:

Ohio State had the lead in the fourth quarter for 9:57. The Buckeyes also held possession of the football for 11:55 in the fourth quarter.

Clemson, on the other hand, only had the ball for 3:05 in the fourth quarter.

The truth of this game paints a much different picture that what Ohio State wants to believe. When you have the lead in the fourth quarter for nearly 10 minutes and you control possession of the ball for 12 of the 15 minutes and lose, that loss is on no one but you.

Ohio State has no one to blame for the loss except themselves. Oh, and a great Clemson team that took advantage of mistakes and made the plays necessary to win the game.

This match-up was between two of the most complete teams that we’ve seen in College Football in quite some time.

Clemson rose to the occasion and made the plays to win. Ohio State didn’t. That’s what this game comes down to.

In the end, it’s weak and delusional to blame the officials for the loss. Buckeye fans need to take the ‘L’ and just respect that this was a game between two really great teams and, in the end, your team fell short.