By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney put his foot in his mouth. Swinney said before their New Year’s Day meeting, Ohio State was the 11th-best team in college football.
The Buckeyes showed Swinney and the world that they could compete with the Tigers. And they actually won.

Ohio State — who was ranked No. 3 coming into the game — defeated the No. 2 Clemson Tigers in a beat down of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Buckeyes won 49-28 over the Tigers in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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This was the first game that the Tigers lost to the Buckeyes. Before New Year’s Day, Clemson had a 4-0 record in the series, including a 29-23 win in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.
Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields went 22 of 28 for 385 yards. He had six touchdown passes and one interception.
Trey Sermon had 31 carries for 193 yards and a touchdown. Chris Olave had six receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
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Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence went 33 of 48 for 400 yards. He had two touchdown passes and one interception.
This was expected to be the final college football game for Lawrence. He is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Travis Etienne had 10 carries for 32 yards and a touchdown. Cornell Powell had eight receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
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Sermon scored a rushing touchdown for the Buckeyes, Chris Olave had two receiving touchdowns.
In addition, Luke Farrell, Jeremy Ruckert (two), and Jameson Williams also caught touchdown receptions.
Lawrence and Etienne scored on rushing touchdowns for the Tigers. Powell also caught two touchdown receptions.
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