The 2014 Orange Bowl was a college football

bowl game In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For most of its history, the Division I Bowl Subdivi ...

played on Friday, January 3, 2014, at

Sun Life Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I colle ...

Miami Gardens, Florida Miami Gardens is a city in north-central Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is located north of Downtown Miami with city boundaries that stretch from I-95 and Northeast 2nd Avenue to its east to Northwest 47th and Northwest 57th Avenues to its w ...

. The 80th annual

Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game ...

, featured the

Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) s ...

from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the

Ohio State Buckeyes The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tre ...

from the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

. The game was broadcast live on

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at 8:30 PM EST. It was one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. It was sponsored by

Discover Financial Services Discover Financial Services is an American financial services company that owns and operates Discover Bank, which offers checking and savings accounts, personal loans, home equity loans, student loans and credit cards. It also owns and operate ...

and was officially known as the Discover Orange Bowl. The game was organized by the Orange Bowl committee and was a part of the final year of the Bowl Championship Series. Clemson was selected to participate in the Orange Bowl after a 10-2 season. Ohio State was picked as the other half of the matchup following a 12-1 campaign. The game marked the first time Ohio State had been in the Orange Bowl since the

1977 Orange Bowl The 1977 Orange Bowl was the 43rd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, January 1. Part of the 1976–77 bowl game season, it matched the eleventh-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of ...

. Clemson last played in the Orange Bowl game in 2012, losing to West Virginia 33-70. The Tigers defeated the Buckeyes 40-35. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who set an Orange Bowl record with 227 receiving yards, was named the game's most valuable player.

Teams

The Orange Bowl matched the

from the ACC and the

from the

Big Ten The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

. Both teams were BCS at-large selections, announced on December 8, 2013. Traditionally the Orange Bowl has been host to the ACC champion; however, since the Florida State Seminoles, the 2013 ACC champion, were selected for the

2014 BCS National Championship Game The 2014 Vizio BCS National Championship Game was the national championship game of the 2013 college football season, which took place on Monday, January 6, 2014. The game featured the Auburn Tigers and Florida State Seminoles. It was the 16t ...

, the #2 ranked ACC team took place of Florida State's Orange Bowl berth. The game was a rematch of the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl. During Ohio State's final drive, Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman intercepted a pass thrown down the middle by OSU's Art Schlichter as time expired, giving Clemson the victory. Bauman ran towards the OSU sideline and was punched by OSU coach

Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946–1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949–1950), and Ohio State University (1951 ...

. Clemson won 17–15, and Hayes was fired the next day, ending a long coaching career spent mostly with the Buckeyes. Ironically, Clemson won the 2014 Orange Bowl in a similar fashion as the 1978 Gator Bowl: in the final play of the game Clemson linebacker Stephone Anthony intercepted a pass thrown down the middle by OSU quarterback Braxton Miller as time expired, clinching the victory for Clemson.

Clemson

Clemson was led by head coach Dabo Swinney. Clemson entered the game with a 10-2 (7-1 conference) record. The Tigers began the season ranked #8 in the

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broad ...

.The AP Top 25 Poll – Preseason
. AP.org. Retrieved January 4, 2014. The Tigers won their first six games of the season, before losing to

Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

. The Tigers won their next four games before ending the regular season with a loss to in-state

rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

.Clemson 2013 Schedule

. Retrieved January 4, 2014. Clemson's offense was led by quarterback Tajh Boyd, who threw for 3,473 yards and 29 touchdowns entering the game.Bennett, Brian
Discover Orange Bowl preview
January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014. The Tiger's offenses was also led by wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who entered the game with 1,237 receiving yards on the season.Katz, Sharon
BCS player to watch: Tajh Boyd

. January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014. The 2014 edition of the Orange Bowl marked the fifth time Clemson has played in the game. Clemson previously played in the 2012 edition of the game.

Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes were led by head coach

Urban Meyer Urban Frank Meyer III (born July 10, 1964) is a college football TV commentator and former American football coach. He spent most of his coaching career at the collegiate level, having served as the head coach of the Bowling Green Falcons fro ...

. The team finished a perfect 12–0 in 2012, but were not eligible for a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions. The Buckeyes were again undefeated heading into the

Big Ten Championship Game The Big Ten Football Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big Ten Conference each year to determine the conference's season champion. The game, held after the regular season has been completed, matches the division champions f ...

with a possible National Championship game appearance on the line. However, the Buckeyes were defeated by

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

, who earned the conference's spot in the

2014 Rose Bowl The 2014 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on January 1, 2014, at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. This 100th Rose Bowl Game matched Big Ten Conference Champions Michigan State Spartans against Pac-12 Conf ...

. Ohio State was selected as an at-large. Ohio State's offense was led by quarterback

Braxton Miller Braxton Marcellus Miller (born November 30, 1992) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was their starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013, before moving to the wide receiver posit ...

, who threw for 1,860 and rushed for another 1,033 yards. The Buckeyes had a running the ball, ranking 3rd in the FBS in rushing yards per game. The Buckeyes' rushing attack was led by Carlos Hyde, who averaged 141 rushing yards per game coming into the Orange Bowl.Sharp, Katie
Power runs make Buckeyes go

. January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014. This marked the second time Ohio State has played in the Orange Bowl game. The Buckeyes previously played in the 1977 edition of the game, where they defeated

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

27-10.Ohio State, Clemson to face off in Orange Bowl after Buckeyes' surprising loss
sun-sentinel.com. December 8, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

Game summary

First quarter

Clemson scored first on a 48-yard touchdown run by Tajh Boyd to make it 7-0. Ohio State responded on its next drive with a 33-yard touchdown run by Braxton Miller, tying the game at 7-7. Clemson responded on their next drive, going up 14-7 on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to Sammy Watkins. Ohio State's next drive ended in a punt, but the Buckeyes were able to pin the Tigers inside Clemson's 1-yard line. On the first play of Clemson's drive, Boyd was called for an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, which gave Ohio State a

safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...

, making the score 14-9.Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes – Play by Play Quarter 1

. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

Second quarter

Clemson punted on the first play of the second quarter. Ohio State went

three-and-out A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the ...

and were forced to punt the ball away. On the ensuing Tigers drive, Clemson was able to drive deep to Ohio State's 6-yard line. The Tigers came up empty on the drive, however, as Tajh Boyd was intercepted at OSU's 1-yard line. Ohio State went three-and-out again, however, and the Buckeyes were forced to punt the ball away. On the following Clemson drive, the Tigers scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to

Martavis Bryant Martavis Alexander Bryant (born December 20, 1991) is an American gridiron football wide receiver for the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. He played college football at Clemson, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the ...

. Chandler Catanzaro missed the extra point attempt, however, making it a 20-9 game with 6:16 remaining in the half. On OSU's next drive, the Buckeyes were able to cut into the Tigers' on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Jeff Heuerman. OSU's extra point was blocked, however, making it a 20-15 game. Clemson was able to drive into Ohio State territory on its next drive. Facing a 4th and 5 situation at OSU's 40-yard line, the Tigers decided to go for it instead of punting the ball away. Boyd connected with Roderick McDowell, but McDowell was unable to get a first down, thus giving OSU the ball at the Buckeyes' 21-yard line after an unsportsmanlike conduct was called on OSU. Ohio State took a 22-20 lead on a 3-yard touchdown run from Braxton Miller. The score remained 22-20 going into the half.Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes – Play by Play Quarter 2

. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

Third quarter

Clemson and OSU exchanged punts to start the third quarter. On Ohio State's second drive of the quarter, the Buckeyes took a 29-20 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run from Carlos Hyde. On Clemson's next drive, they were forced into a punt by the Ohio State defense, however the punt was muffed by Ohio State returner Corey "Philly" Brown and retrieved by the Clemson special teams unit. Clemson responded to the fumble recovery with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to Watkins to make it 29-27 game. On the ensuing OSU drive, Braxton Miller was intercepted at OSU's 38-yard line. Clemson capitalized on the turnover, taking a 34-29 lead in the game on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Martavis Bryant.Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes – Play by Play Quarter 3

. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

Fourth quarter

Ohio State took a 35-34 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Hyde. OSU's two-point conversion failed, and the game remained 35-34. Clemson retook the lead on its next drive on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Boyd to Stanton Seckinger. The two-point conversion failed, however, and the game remained 40-35 with 6:16 remaining in the game. On the next OSU drive, the Buckeyes were able to drive into Clemson territory. However, on the sixth play of the drive, Braxton Miller fumbled after being sacked by

Bashaud Breeland Bashaud Breeland (born January 30, 1992) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Clemson, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He also played for th ...

. Clemson recovered the fumble at OSU 47-yard line with 3:12 remaining in the game. The Tigers were unable to close out the game, however, as Tajh Boyd was intercepted by C.J. Barnett with 1:27 remaining in the game. Ohio State's possession was short lived, as Braxton Miller was intercepted on the second play of the drive with 1:18 remaining in the game. After getting a first down, Clemson was able to run out the clock.Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes – Play by Play Quarter 4

. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

Scoring summary

Statistics

Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins was named the game's most valuable player.Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes box score

. Retrieved January 4, 2014. Watkins had 16 catches for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns.Watkins named MVP as Clemson prevails
news-press.com. January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014. Watkins also set the Orange Bowl record for yardage with his performance.Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins connect as Clemson rallies past Ohio State

. January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014. Clemson outgained Ohio State in total yardage 576-427. Ohio State committed 4 turnovers, while Clemson committed 2. The Tigers were also more efficient in third down conversions; Clemson converted 7 out of 13 attempts, while OSU converted only 2 out of 13 attempts. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd completed 31 of his 40 passes for 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Boyd threw for 378 yards. Boyd was also the Tigers' leading rusher, rushing for 127 yards and 1 touchdown. Clemson's second leading rusher was Roderick McDowell, who rushed for 69 yards on 12 attempts. Jordan Leggett was Clemson's second leading receiving, catching 1 pass for 43 yards. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller completed 16 of his 24 passes for 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Miller had 234 passing yards in the game. Carlos Hyde was the Buckeyes' leading rusher, rushing for 113 yards and 1 touchdown. OSU's leading receiver was Philly Brown, who caught 8 passes for 116 yards.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2014 Orange Bowl (01)

Orange Bowl Clemson Tigers football bowl games Ohio State Buckeyes football bowl games