Clemson's Season Ends With Loss To LSU In The National Championship Game
Clemson’s season didn’t end on a high note!
Why? Because they lost to LSU in the National Title game in New Orleans.
No. 3 Clemson lost its first game in more than two years, falling to No. 1 LSU 42-25, in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Clemson’s seniors closed their careers at 55-4, suffering their first loss since dropping the 2017 Sugar Bowl in the same stadium. Clemson closes the year at 14-1, while LSU joined Clemson (2018) as the only two programs in the modern era to finish 15-0.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
The loss snaps Clemson’s 29-game winning streak. The 29 consecutive wins is tied for 12th longest win streak in College Football history, and is the longest since Florida State won 29 straight between 2012-14. It is the Tigers first loss in 742 days.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
Trevor Lawrence completed 18-37 passes and rushed for a one yard touchdown in the first quarter. Travis Etienne finished with 78 yards on the ground, while catching five passes for 36 yards. Justyn Ross was the Tigers’ leading receiver, catching five passes for 76 yards.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
In the contest, running back Travis Etienne became Clemson’s all-time leading rusher, passing Raymond Priester’s former mark of 3,966 yards. Just a play later, Clemson struck first, with Lawrence finding the endzone on the ground, capping a 5-play, 67-yard drive that took just over two minutes. After an LSU scoring strike, kicker B.T. Potter put Clemson back on top with a career-long 52-yarder, which also marked the longest made field goal in CFP Championship Game history.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
After a stop, Tee Higgins took his first career rushing attempt, a reverse from Etienne, 36 yards across the field and dove in for a score with 10:38 to play in the second quarter. On that drive, Clemson went 96 yards on just four plays in taking the 17-7 lead. From there, LSU closed the first half scoring three touchdowns in the final 9:17, including a 95-yard drive that gave them a 28-17 lead heading to the half.”according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
Clemson made a statement out of halftime, sacking Burrow on third down to end their first drive, and going 50 yards on six plays punctuated with an Etienne rushing score and an Amari Rodgers two-point conversion to climb back in it. However, LSU scored a pair of unanswered touchdowns to take a 42-25 lead with 12:08 to play in the contest, a lead they would hold for the remainder of the game. “according to https://clemsontigers.com/nationalchampionship20/
While Clemson’s season didn’t end on a high note LSU’s did because they won the National Championship.
- Led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow's six-touchdown performance, Ed Orgeron's top-ranked Fighting Tigers of LSU earned the title 2019 National Champions and arguably The Best Team Ever. “according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
LSU (15-0) proved its dominant season by ending Clemson's 29-game winning streak in a 42-25 victory over the defending champs.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
The Tigers - playing 60 minutes southeast of the Baton Rouge campus - won the fourth national championship in program history: 1958, 2003, 2007 and 2019. Orgeron became the third-straight LSU head coach to win a title.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
Burrow, Offensive Player of the Game, was 31-of-49 passing for 463 yards with five touchdown passes, while adding another 58 rushing yards and including a TD run. He accounted for all but 107 of LSU's 628 yards of total offense, as the Tigers broke NCAA records for points and yards in a season. Burrow set NCAA single-season marks for passing touchdowns (60) and total touchdowns (65).”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
After facing its biggest deficit of the season - 17-7 early in the second quarter - LSU scored 21 unanswered points to lead 28-17 at halftime. Though Clemson narrowed the margin to three, LSU scored the final 14 points of the contest including a 24-yard dagger from Burrow to Terrace Marshall Jr. with 12:08 to play that gave the Tigers the final margin.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
LSU linebacker Patrick Queen was named Defensive Player of the Game after leading the Tigers with eight tackles including 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase broke Josh Reed's single-season receiving yards record in the second half. He caught nine passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, while Justin Jefferson added 106 yards on nine catches. Tight end Thaddeus Moss also scored twice and caught five passes for 36 yards. Marshall finished with three catches for 46 yards.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran 16 times for 110 yards.”according to https://lsusports.net/news/2020/1/13/lsu-football-national-championship-game-recap.aspx