MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Joe Milton accomplished 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 6 Tennessee ended its greatest season in over twenty years by topping No. 10 Clemson 31-14 within the Orange Bowl on Friday evening.
Squirrel White, Bru McCoy, and Ramel Keyton get the scoring lead for the Volunteers (11-2), who’ve their greatest file since 2001. Jaylen Wright rushed for 89 yards and Jabari Small had a landing to Tennessee.
Cady Klopnik, making his first begin with Clemson, accomplished 30 of 54 passes for 320 yards with two interceptions. However Clemson (11-3) stored arising empty of alternatives. The Tigers entered Tennessee territory on 9 of their first ten possessions—and transformed these drives into simply two area targets.
Klopnik ran in from 4 yards out to get Clemson inside 21-14 with 10:01 remaining, however Melton related with Keaton for a 46-yard rating on Tennessee’s subsequent possession. The Volunteers intercepted Klopnik on a determined fourth advance a few minute later and the celebration had not but begun – but it surely loomed.
The employees set about post-game preparation, together with the same old oranges that the successful workforce will get in the course of the trophy ceremony.
And on this very orange Orange Bowl—each groups have the first shade—Tennessee’s shade was the perfect.
Orange Bowl MVP Melton opened the scoring with a 16-yard go to McCoy late within the first half, and Small’s 2-yard rush pushed the result in 14–0 with 9:03 left within the half. The nation’s greatest offense wasn’t at its greatest Friday evening — Tennessee led the nation this 12 months in yards and factors per recreation — however that wasn’t the case.
Clemson obtained the ball seven instances within the first half, entered Tennessee territory seven instances and reached quantity 25 or higher on 4 events.
One way or the other, this solely added as much as three factors.
The sector aim was Clemson’s solely success of the primary half. The opposite six possessions: a stuffed faux area aim run by Drew Sweeney, son of Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney. A 3 missed punt on the sphere by PT Potter – the all-time main scorer in class historical past – and a brutal closing effort when goalkeeper Klopnik was tackled with 6 seconds left. Clemson was out of timeouts, could not get a area aim unit on the courtroom and went into halftime trailing 14-3.
Potter opened the second half with a hit-free 40-yard run—the 73rd area aim of his profession, a Tigers faculty file. However White caught a 14-yard go with 5 seconds left within the third, giving the Vols a 21-6 lead into the fourth.
take away
Tennessee: The Vols traveled properly for this recreation, as anticipated — and one fan was notably blissful. Peyton Manning was the entrance aspect and had a serious seat within the contest. When proven on the stadium screens in the course of the second half, he pointed to a Tennessee cap and nodded on function because the Volvo followers roared.
Clemson: It isn’t laborious to pin down the three large performs the Tigers lament. The faux area aim was one, Klopnik’s time administration error to finish the primary half was one other, and the third was a choice to go on fourth-and-two from Quantity 31 late within the third interval. Will Shipley was stopped left area and, 4 performs later, discovered Milton White for a 21-6 lead.
Implications of the opinion ballot
Tennessee would possibly climb a spot or two, relying on what occurs within the School Soccer Playoff video games. It will be the Vols’ greatest end in not less than 20 years; They have been No. 4 in 2001 and No. 1 in 1998.
Clemson will probably be a part of the ultimate ballot for the twelfth 12 months in a row, extending the longest such run in class historical past. The Tigers have been in six consecutive season-ending polls from 1986 by way of 1991.
Subsequent
Tennessee: The Vols open subsequent season towards Virginia on Sept. 2 in Nashville. This will probably be Virginia’s first recreation for the reason that taking pictures that killed three gamers and led to the cancellation of the Cavaliers’ final two video games of 2022.
Clemson: A Week 1 recreation towards a rival within the Atlantic Coast Convention awaits, and can doubtless be introduced someday in January. Clemson’s first non-conference recreation is ready for September 9 towards Charleston Southern.
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