I was watching the Gator Bowl between Ohio State and Clemson when Woody Hayes punched a player for Clemson. In fact, I've seen every game these two teams have played against each other. Here is the complete list of Ohio State/Clemson football games:
12/29/1978 (Gator Bowl): Clemson 17, Ohio St. 15
01/03/2014 (Orange Bowl): Clemson 40, Ohio St. 35
12/31/2016 (Fiesta Bowl): Clemson 31, Ohio St. 0
12/28/2019 (Fiesta Bowl): Clemson 29, Ohio St. 23
Remarkably, this is the first really important college football game that's been played in this season.
The Buckeyes and their fans apparently think that they should have beaten Clemson last year, but I disagree. I thought Clemson was the better team and Ohio State was fading down the stretch.
ReplyDeleteVegas thinks that Clemson will win by seven in a game that features 68 points. That would work out to something like a 38-31 game.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Vegas has UK as a 1-point favorite tomorrow against Mississippi State, so take their advice for what it's worth.
DeleteClemson has a record of 34-1 with Trevor Lawrence at QB. Their only loss was in the National Championship game last year to LSU.
ReplyDeleteClemson takes the opening kickoff and goes down the field with very little difficulty. Trevor Lawrence, of Cartersville H.S. in Cartersville, Ga., dashes in from a few yards for the touchdown. B.T. Potter, of South Pointe H.S. in Rock Hill, S.C., makes the conversion.
ReplyDeleteAfter an exchange of punts, OSU goes 77 yards in only three plays to tie the game at seven. The Buckeyes score on a 32-yard run by Trey Sermon, who transferred to OSU after playing at Oklahoma. Sermon attended Sprayberry H.S. in Marietta, Ga. Blake Haubeil, of Canisius H.S. in Buffalo, N.Y., boots the extra point.
ReplyDeleteClemson wasted its last possession, but the Tigers don't waste this one. They go through OSU as if the Buckeyes weren't even there. 75 yards in 7 plays. Travis Etienne, Jr., of Jennings H.S. in Jennings, La., bursts in from three yards out for the score. Potter adds the kick. Clemson leads 14-7 with 5:01 left in the first.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your noting of the high schools. Thank you!
DeleteOSU comes right back. They zip down the field and score on 8-yard pass from Justin Fields, of Harrison H.S. in Kennesaw, Ga. to Luke Farrell, of Perry H.S. in Perry, Ohio. We are now tied at 14 with 1:36 left in the first.
ReplyDeleteImagine being a Georgia fan and watching two guys who went to high school in Georgia playing QB for Clemson and Ohio State.
ReplyDeleteAnd now the Buckeyes take control. They stop Clemson, and then go 84 yards on 9 plays, the last of which was a 17-yard pass from Fields to Jeremy Ruckert of Lindenhurst H.S. in Lindenhurst, N.Y. OSU now leads 21-14 with 10:35 left in the first half.
ReplyDeleteOSU stops Clemson on 3-and-out, and the Buckeyes are driving again. They look great so far.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm listening to the ESPN Radio broadcast with Sean Kelley doing the play-by-play. Kelley is a native of St. Louis who earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Southern Illinois University. For most of the last 20 years he's been in New Orleans. He did play-by-play for Tulane from 2002-05, and then he was the voice of the New Orleans Pelicans from 2005-19. Now he works for ESPN. He's pretty good.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is a big deal. It appeared that Clemson had forced a 4th and 2 at the Clemson 20 after a ringing hit on Fields by James Skalski, the Clemson Middle Linebacker from Northgate H.S. in Sharpsburg, Ga. But the referees decided that Skalski had led with his helmet into Fields's side. So they called him for TARGETING, and threw him out of the game. The announcers say that this is a catastrophe for the Clemson defense. It also gives OSU a first and goal.
ReplyDeleteAnd now Fields hits Chris Olave, of Mission Hills H.S. in San Marcos, Calif., with a 9-yard touchdown pass. The Bucks now lead 28-14 with 5:12 left in the 1st half. But Fields does appear to be hurt -- he's grimacing and holding his hip as he leaves the field. On the radio, the announcers are still complaining about the targeting call. They're not saying it was a bad call -- they're saying it's a bad rule.
ReplyDeleteOSU's defense holds again, and Clemson has to punt. OSU will start from its own 20.
ReplyDeleteOSU went to a lot of trouble to play this game, and they look like it.
ReplyDeleteAnd with 11 seconds left, Fields zips a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ruckert. That caps off a 12-play, 80-yard drive. OSU now leads 35 to 14.
ReplyDeleteIn 2014, OSU played Oregon for the National Championship. Since then, the only teams to play for the title are Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and LSU:
ReplyDelete2015: Alabama over Clemson
2016: Clemson over Alabama
2017: Alabama over Georgia
2018: Clemson over Alabama
2019: LSU over Clemson
OSU, led by a quarterback and a running back from Georgia, may be about to break that string.
I wonder if playing fewer games has turned out to be an advantage for Ohio State.
ReplyDeleteMaybe. It was the second straight year in which Clemson's defense collapsed in the playoffs.
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