Tigers can't scale Rocky Top as Tennessee wins Orange Bowl

Clemson wasn't nearly good enough against Tennessee.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Dec 31 00:02:31 GMT-04:00 2022

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – Clemson’s offense was good, just not nearly good enough. Clemson’s defense was good at times, but not nearly good enough at times, and all that added up to a desultory, frantic 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

Through the early part of the fourth quarter, Clemson had nine drives that had marched into Tennessee territory but the Tigers had just six points to show for it. BT Potter missed three field goals, another drive ended on a fake field goal that was stooped short, one drive ended as the clock ran out on the half, and the Tigers simply couldn’t find the end zone until they ran their 54th play in Tennessee territory.

By that point it was too late – Clemson’s defense was gassed and gave up big plays and Tennessee was able to pull away. Clemson finishes the season 11-3, while Tennessee takes another step forward with an 11-2 record.

Clemson’s offensive numbers were record-breaking, but not good enough. The Tigers ran an Orange Bowl record 101 plays, the highest number of plays since running 100 against UConn in 2021, and before that, it was the team-record 102 plays ran against NC State in 2012. It was the most number of plays ran in a loss – Clemson ran 98 in the loss to Alabama in the 2015 National Championship Game.

Clemson piled up 484 total yards and 34 first downs and held the ball for over 36 minutes. But the lack of execution past midfield, along with the missed field goals, was crushing.

Cade Klubnik made his first career start and went 30-of-54 for 320 yards with two interceptions. Will Shipley ran it 17 times for 72 yards and Joseph Ngata had eight catches for 82 yards. However, Tennessee hit the big play when it needed points, while the Tigers were trying to grind out drives.

The first half saw the Tigers push all seven drives into Tennessee territory, but score just three points. The first drive ended with a fake field goal that was stopped short of the first down, and then BT Potter missed three consecutive field goals.

Tennessee scored on two big drives, going 75 yards on two different occasions to take an early 14-0 lead. The Tigers finally got on the board with a 31-yard Potter field goal with 5:11 to play in the half, and after the Clemson defense forced a Tennessee punt, it looked like the Tigers would get an opportunity to score before the half.

The Tigers reached the Tennessee 13, but after a spike that stopped the clock, Clemson was called for a delay of game. With no timeouts, Klubnik scrambled back to the 13, and as time bled off the game clock, he looked to the sideline for a play. Once the ball was snapped, Klubnik tried to run it up the middle but was stopped after just two yards and the time ran out in the half.

Clemson took the opening kickoff and once again drove deep into Tennessee territory, but had to settle for a 40-yard field goal from Potter that made it 14-6.

The Clemson defense continued to hold, but Clemson’s second drive ended in a punt after Klubnik was sacked for a six-yard loss on third down. The Clemson punt was followed by yet another Tennessee punt, and Clemson took over at its own 21 and put together a 10-play drive on the back of running the football. However, the drive stalled again at the Tennessee 31, and facing a 4th-and-2, the Tigers went for it and Shipley was held just short of the first down.

The Vols didn’t take long to finally strike. Jaylen Wright got loose for 42 yards on the ground, and two plays later, Joe Milton found Squirrel White in the endzone for a 14-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-6 Tennessee with just five seconds left in the third quarter.

Following the Tennessee touchdown, the Tigers finally put a drive together that ended in a touchdown. Clemson put together a 12-play, 79-yard drive that included big third-down conversions by Jake Briningstool and Shipley. Facing a 2nd-and-goal at the Tennessee 4-yard line, the Tennessee defense followed the fake to Shipley in the middle and Klubnik scored easily.

There was an unsportsmanlike penalty on the play by Tennessee, and the Tigers decided to go for two points with the ball at the 1 ½-yard line. Shipley scored the two-point conversion, and it was 21-14 with 10:01 to play. The touchdown was scored on Clemson’s 54th play in Tennessee territory.

Tennessee answered in a big way, fashioning a short six-play drive that ended with a 46-yard pass from Milton to Ramel Keyton for a 28-14 lead with 8:34 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Clemson faced a 4th-and-8 deep in its own territory and had to go for it, but Klubnik was flushed from the pocket almost immediately, and he threw up a prayer that was intercepted by Tomarrion McDonald, effectively ending all Clemson hope.

Tennessee added a late field goal for the final points.