Clemson football will meet Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
Clemson football fans across the country let out a collective “AGAIN” Sunday afternoon as the College Football Playoff committee announced that the Tigers would face Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. That collective groan was not that the Tigers had to play Ohio State but rather that the Tigers had to go back to New Orleans – a city that has been a house of horrors for the Tigers.
Heading into the January 1st college football semi-final, two streaks will be on the line. One will see Clemson football get a monkey off its back and the other will end a losing streak that is almost 45 years old.
Of course, if you are a Tigers fan, you hope that it will be the first one.
Clemson football has never won a postseason game in the state of Louisiana, they are 0-4 all-time in the state. Under current head coach Dabo Swinney, they are 0-2.
Clemson lost the 1959 Sugar Bowl 7-0 to LSU in New Orleans, they lost 20-13 to Minnesota in the 1985 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, there was the 24-6 loss in the 2018 Sugar Bowl to Alabama in 2018 and of course last year’s National Championship 42-25 loss to LSU.
A new year and new hope for Clemson football in New Orleans.
It is understandable that no one would be excited to head back to Louisiana. Many fans said after last year’s loss to LSU that they would never go back because of how bad the city had become and the environment surrounding the game was the worst they had experienced.
Of course, the other streak on the line is Ohio State’s 0-4 record all-time against the Tigers. Of the four games between these two programs, three of them have been decided seven points or less – the 2016 Fiesta Bowl in Glendale where the Tigers embarrassed the Buckeyes 31-0 is the only exception.
Both teams will be looking to end streaks in New Orleans but if the Tigers can continue to play with the confidence they have on offense and play with the same edge defensively they had against Notre Dame, Ohio State will leave 0-5 and Clemson football will finally have its first postseason win in the state of New Orleans.
Over the next two weeks, Rubbing the Rock will have lots of thoughts and things to looked forward to as Clemson football looks to advance to their third straight national game and fifth overall under the leadership and guidance of head coach Dabo Swinney.