Fiesta Sports Foundation

Two of College Football's heavyweights went head-to-head in the most-watched College Football Playoff Semifinal not played on New Year's Day. 21.2 million viewers witnessed No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Clemson face off in one of the most entertaining and exciting games of the bowl season in the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl.
 
Making their second trip to the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl, the Tigers rallied back from a 16-14 deficit in the first half to top the Buckeyes, 29-23, on Dec. 28, 2019 at State Farm Stadium. Clemson's victory marked the first team to come back from the half to win the Fiesta Bowl since 1997 when Penn State trailed 12-7 at halftime vs. Texas to win, 38-15.
 
Off to a fast start, Ohio State shut out Clemson in the first quarter 10-0 including a 68-yard rushing touchdown from junior running back J.K. Dobbins. The LaGrange, Texas native broke the program's single-season rushing record with 1,998 yards, previously held by Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George (1,927 yards) during the 1995 season.
 
With 2:45 left in the second quarter, junior running back Travis Etienne got Clemson on the board with an 8-yard rushing touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence showed his dual-threat ability, running for a 67-yard touchdown to close in on Ohio State at halftime, 16-14.
 
Lawrence continued to lead the offensive charge for Clemson to open the second half, hitting Etienne on a 53-yard touchdown pass to take its first lead of the game, 21-16.
 
However, the Buckeyes wouldn't back down, taking back the lead 23-21, with a 23-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Justin Fields to wide receiver Chris Olave. Fields threw for a career-best 320 yards and finished the season with the program's third best passing yards in a single season, surpassing J.T. Barrett (2017) and Bobby Hoying (1995).
 
At 1:49 remaining, Lawrence found Etienne for a 34-yard touchdown (third of the day) to reclaim the lead, 29-23. With 43 seconds left in the game, junior safety Nolan Turner became the unsung hero with a game sealing interception to send the Tigers to their fifth College Football Playoff National Championship.
 
The victory also extended Clemson's nation's-best 29-game winning streak, matching the ACC record set by Florida State from 2012-14.
 
Lawrence led the Tigers to one of the biggest comebacks in Fiesta Bowl history by going 18 of 33 for 259 yards and three touchdowns (including one rushing) on his way to become the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl Offensive Player of the Game. Lawrence's 33 passing attempts also broke the program's record of consecutive pass attempts without any interceptions with 215.
 
In addition to Lawrence, fifth-year senior linebacker Chad Smith won the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl Defensive Player of the Game with season-highs in total tackles (12) and solo tackles (eight).