GLENDALE, Ariz. – Trevor Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne on a 34-yard touchdown with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter and No. 3 Clemson beat No. 2 Ohio State 29-23 Saturday night at the Fiesta Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff championship game against top seed LSU.
The Tigers went 94 yards on four plays in 1:18, with Lawrence completing all three of his passes and mixing in an 11-yard run.
The sophomore quarterback who has never lost a college start passed for 259 yards and two scores and ran for a career-high 107 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown late in the first half.
Lawrence passed for 259 yards and two scores and ran for a career-high 107 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown late in the first half. Running back Travis Etienne was productive in the passing game with three receptions for 98 yards and two TDs.
The Buckeyes drove to the Clemson 23 in the final minute, but Justin Fields fired to the end zone on second-and-7 and was picked off by Nolan Turner with 37 seconds left. The pick allowed the Tigers to secure their 29th straight victory and fourth trip to the CFP championship game in five years.
Fields was 30 of 46 for 320 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. J.K. Dobbins rushed for 174 yards and a touchdown for the Buckeyes, who fell to 13-1.
The referee in the Fiesta Bowl defended two key calls that went Clemson’s way after video review.
Video review led to a targeting call on Ohio State in the second quarter that kept a Clemson drive alive and led to the Tigers’ first touchdown.
In the third quarter, the Buckeyes appeared to score after a Clemson receiver was stripped of the ball and the fumble was returned for a touchdown. Video review overturned the call on the field and ruled the receiver never completed the catch.