The Clemson Tigers defeated Florida State 37-34, reminding the college football world that they have the type of resolve necessary to win the national championship.
Let’s be honest: it looked like Clemson might actually lose this game. Sure, the Tigers scored on the first two drives to go up 14-0 early, but Florida State rallied to take a 28-20 lead on two long Dalvin Cook TD runs. Considering that Clemson’s previous three drives netted just 20 yards, it looked like the ‘Noles had a big enough cushion heading into the fourth quarter.
They didn’t. Deshaun Watson led the Tigers on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, which cut the deficit to 28-26. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Clemson retook the lead 29-28 on a 46-yard field goal by Greg Huegel. The lead would be short-lived, as Florida State pulled back ahead 34-29 with just 3:23 to play on Dalvin Cook’s fourth TD run of the night.
This is where Clemson proved that it’s a national championship-caliber team. Rather than get rattled by the pressure, the Tigers responded with the resiliency of a champion. Watson vaulted himself to the top of the Heisman Trophy race with a brilliant showing on the final drive, connecting on 3 of 4 passes for 70 yards, including a touchdown pass to a wide open Jordan Leggett for the go-ahead score. While Florida State would mount a late comeback to get into position to possibly tie the game, the Tiger defense would register back-to-back sacks on third and fourth down to preserve the victory.
At the risk of stating the obvious, this win serves as a reminder that Clemson has what it takes to win the national championship. Yes, the Tigers have had some close calls this year, but the bottom line is that they always get the job done when it matters the most. Whether it was holding on versus a pesky opponent that wouldn’t quit or rallying to erase an 8-point fourth quarter deficit against Louisville and Florida State, Clemson came up with the plays that it needed to in order to earn a “W”.
That’s what championship teams do.
This type of resolve is precisely why the Tigers will return to the College Football Playoff for the second straight season. No matter what situation Clemson finds itself in, it always finds a way to win.
