John Bazemore/Related Press
Quarterback Justin Fields carried out 22-of-28 passes for six touchdowns and 385 passing yards as No. 3 Ohio Verbalize evolved to the Faculty Soccer Playoff National Championship after defeating No. 2 Clemson 49-28 on Friday on the Sugar Bowl in Fresh Orleans.
OSU working aid Trey Sermon added 254 yards from scrimmage and a landing for the Buckeyes, who led 35-14 at halftime after scoring 21 unanswered aspects in the 2d quarter. OSU wideout Chris Olave scored a landing in every half en route to catching six passes for 132 yards.
Clemson struggled on both sides of the ball in the defeat. The Tigers scored a pair of touchdowns in the first 10 minutes but scored factual as soon as after except the fourth quarter. On defense, Clemson had no acknowledge for Fields or the working game, giving up seven offensive touchdowns and 639 yards from scrimmage. Clemson gathered 444 yards.
OSU improved to 7-0. The Tigers’ 10-2 season is over.
Considerable Performances
Ohio Verbalize QB Justin Fields: 22-of-28, 385 passing yards, 6 TD, 1 INT; 8 carries, 42 rushing yards
Ohio Verbalize WR Chris Olave: 6 catches, 132 receiving yards, 2 TD
Ohio Verbalize RB Trey Sermon: 31 carries, 193 rushing yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 61 receiving yards
Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence: 33-of-48, 400 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 1 rushing TD
Clemson RB Travis Etienne: 10 carries, 32 rushing yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 64 receiving yards
Clemson WR Cornell Powell: 8 catches, 139 receiving yards, 2 TD
Fields Places on Quarterback Clinic
Fields entered Friday coming off arguably the worst game of his collegiate profession, ending factual 12 of 27 passes for 114 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 22-10 take over Northwestern in the Mountainous Ten Championship Sport.
That game is a much off memory after the most though-provoking game of Fields’ Ohio Verbalize tenure helped the Buckeyes lead by two rankings or more for the full 2d half.
Fields and his tight ends showcased a expansive rapport, starting when the quarterback threw the ball in the notice of a needle to Luke Farrell for an eight-yard rating:
Fields then done an aesthetic play name, rolling left earlier than finding Jeremy Ruckert huge launch for a 17-yard rating to provide OSU a lead it wouldn’t relinquish:
The signal-caller stumbled on Olave for a nine-yard landing to position OSU up 27-14 earlier than connecting with Ruckert all as soon as more off a laser that avoided two defenders and gave the Buckeyes a three-rating edge:
Fields had four passing touchdowns at halftime, but he wasn’t performed, launching a rainbow cross to Olave for a 56-yard rating:
He wasn’t performed tossing moon balls in Fresh Orleans, then again, finding Jameson Williams for a 45-yard TD:
By some means possibly, Fields done off the Buckeyes despite suffering a ribs injury in the 2d quarter after a sort out from Clemson linebacker James Skalski.
Fields described the disaster he used to be in in a while:
Peaceful, Fields threw four landing passes after that 2d en route to atmosphere every form of records Friday, as ESPN Stats & Records well-known:
ESPN Stats & Records @ESPNStatsInfo
There have now been 7 instances all-time of a participant having 6 passing touchdowns in a bowl game.
Two of them have attain in opposition to Dabo Swinney’s Clemson team (Justin Fields nowadays, Geno Smith 2012 Orange Bowl).
Clemson is the proper team to have this occur in opposition to them twice. https://t.co/7gO1k1iTsr
ESPN Stats & Records @ESPNStatsInfo
Justin Fields is the third participant in Ohio Verbalize history with more than one 5-cross TD video games in a season, joining Dwayne Haskins and J.T. Barrett.
Fields is the first Ohio Verbalize participant with 5 Toddle TD in a bowl game. https://t.co/wkKwunR0Ra
Thanks largely to his efforts, OSU is now in the national championship game for the first time in six years.
Clemson in Disarray on Both Facets of the Ball
The Sugar Bowl regarded headed for a classic shootout between Ohio Verbalize and Clemson in the first 10 minutes. The 2 groups blended for a pair of landing drives of 75 yards or longer, with Clemson scoring touchdowns off a Lawrence gallop and Etienne gallop.
Nevertheless, every little thing that can possibly possibly spin imperfect did for Clemson in a while.
For starters, OSU scored 21 aspects throughout a 10: 24 span in the 2d quarter. The Buckeyes’ three landing drives accounted for 239 entire yards. Within the meantime, the Tigers’ closing four first-half drives following their 2d landing resulted in 37 yards on factual 11 performs.
Clemson’s offense did gain on the board twice in the 2d half attributable to of a pair of Lawrence landing passes to Cornell Powell, but it definitely used to be too exiguous and too late. OSU scored a pair of touchdowns itself and sooner or later cruised to a 21-level take.
The offense perceived to be in disarray for worthy of the night. Most likely that used to be inevitable with offensive coordinator Tony Elliott out after testing clear for COVID-19, but infrequently, Clemson regarded a long way too conservative, especially in comparison with OSU’s ruthless passing aggression.
Clemson furthermore showed an aversion to going for it on fourth down, even with the team down more than one rankings in the 2d half:
Both of these facts had been complications spicy about that Clemson had no solutions for Ohio Verbalize on the bottom or in the air. The motive for that largely lied in the trenches, as Sam Vecenie of The Athletic wrote:
Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Ohio Verbalize won this game in the trenches. Ohio Verbalize is getting penetration on defense every play, and so that they’re utilizing Clemson off the ball on offense for Sermon. And they’re giving Fields forever to throw. The O and D lines deserve so worthy credit rating nowadays.
OSU averaged 13.8 passing yards per strive and rushed for five.8 yards per elevate. The Buckeyes automatically gashed Clemson for explosive performs at a wildly worthwhile fee.
The onus used to be on Clemson to confirm that success, and the most frequently mountainous offense would possibly possibly possibly not gain it performed.
What’s Next?
Ohio Verbalize will attain to the CFP National Championship on Monday, January 11, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Buckeyes will face No. 1 Alabama, who beat No. 4 Notre Dame 31-14 in the Rose Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.
