3rd: 2019 Fiesta Bowl: Clemson 29, Ohio State 23
This game started…well…not so great for Clemson.
The Tigers held the Buckeyes to a field goal on the first drive, which felt like a small victory, but BT Potter’s field goal missed on the following drive. 3-0.
Then JK Dobbins broke out a huge run and the Buckeyes jumped up 10-0. Clemson couldn’t respond.
Then another field goal. Then another one. Holding them to field goals didn’t quite seem like small victories anymore. It was 16-0.
I won’t lie to you – this was the point I switched from beer to liquor.
Apparently, I picked the right liquor, because the Tigers got on the scoreboard with a Travis Etienne touchdown, which was followed by the most unexpected thing ever: Trevor Lawrence scrambling for a 67-yard touchdown.
Suddenly the Tigers were only down by two points at 16-14 and it was a whole different game.
The two teams would swap the lead during the second half until Clemson grabbed it on a four-play, 94-yard touchdown drive to go up 29-23 with 1:49 remaining.
Justin Fields began marching the Buckeyes down the field and it seemed like they had just enough time to take back the game. Then the most bizarre thing happened: Fields threw it right to Nolan Turner in the end zone, and the game was over.
Upon review, everyone realized that Fields expected Chris Olave to continue his route, while Olave broke it off because he thought Fields was scrambling. Though I was thrilled Clemson had won that game, I couldn’t help but feel for Fields and Olave. They had played a heck of a game.
Ohio State fans – as well as a lot of people nationally – continue to assert that OSU was screwed by the refs in this game. They question the validity of the targeting call that took Shaun Wade off the field and the ruled no-catch that they felt should have been a scoop-n-score.
Those fans were wrong then, and they’re still wrong now.