Quarterback Tajh Boyd and the No. 12 Clemson Tigers rallied back to defeat the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes, 40-35, in the Discover Orange Bowl.
The Orange Bowl is the first BCS bowl win for the Clemson football program.
Boyd had 505 total yards and six total touchdowns in the win, including the first touchdown of the game which was a 48-yard rush on the first offensive drive of the game.
Buckeyes’ quarterback Braxton Miller answered back on his first offensive drive with a rushing touchdown as well.
The two early scores by the quarterbacks were not the other pair of drives that ended the same way throughout the game.
In the fourth quarter, an interception thrown by Boyd gave the Buckeyes a chance to put together a game-winning drive with over a minute in the fourth quarter.
That drive ended quickly as Miller threw an interception of his own right back to the Tigers’ defense.
After the game, Miller stated he had a shoulder injury and a cracked rib.
Boyd was able to get the offense moving for the Tigers with the help of wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
Watkins had a record-setting night with 16 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. The receiver broke the Orange Bowl receiving record in the third quarter.
Watkins is a highly touted wide receiver and is likely to have played his final game with Clemson.
He will likely enter the upcoming NFL draft, where he is expected to be taken in the first round.
As for Clemson’s football program as a whole, they eliminated the chance of falling to 0-2 in BCS Bowl Game appearances.
Clemson lost in their first BCS Bowl Game appearance, which was also the Orange Bowl, by 37 points two years ago.
As for Ohio State, they ended the season with back to back losses. It was also head coach Urban Meyer’s first BCS bowl loss after he entered the Orange Bowl with a 4-0 record in BCS games.
Sports Minded 