Clemson Tigers vs Ohio State Buckeyes Match Player Stats On Jan 03, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 4, 2014

No. 11 Clemson 40, No. 6 Ohio State 35: Senior quarterback Tajh Boyd accounted for 505 yards and six touchdowns and top target Sammy Watkins enjoyed a record-setting night through the air as the Tigers held off the Buckeyes in a thrilling Discover Orange Bowl in Miami.

In a matchup of two of the nation's top quarterbacks, Boyd (30-of-39, 378 yards) and Ohio State's Braxton Miller (two passing TDs, two rushing TDs) both shined on one of college football's biggest stages, as did Watkins, who scored two touchdowns and set a new Orange Bowl record with 16 receptions and 227 receiving yards. Boyd threw for five touchdowns to overcome two interceptions, including one in the final two minutes that was canceled out when Miller was intercepted by Stephone Anthony two plays later.

Boyd added 127 rushing yards on 20 carries to help the Tigers (11-2) notch the first BCS bowl victory in school history. Miller threw for 234 yards and ran for 35 while Carlos Hyde had 113 yards to lead the rushing attack for the Buckeyes (12-2), who dropped their final two games after entering the Big Ten title game versus Michigan State needing a win to reach the BCS title game.

Clemson initially led 20-9 before Ohio State scored 20 straight points on Miller's 57-yard TD pass to Jeff Heuerman and his 3-yard scoring run, followed by Hyde's 1-yard TD plunge midway through the third quarter. Boyd responded with touchdown passes of 30 yards to Watkins and 3 yards to Martavis Bryant to put the Tigers ahead 34-29 entering the fourth quarter.

Miller regained the lead for the Buckeyes when he found Hyde for a 14-yard score with 11:35 to play, but Clemson drove right back down the field with Boyd's 5-yard TD pass to tight end Stanton Seckinger capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive with 6:16 left. Ohio State's ensuing possession ended when Miller was sacked by Bashaud Breeland and fumbled and the Buckeyes' final drive was halted by Anthony's pick, although it was not clear whether the Tigers linebacker actually had secured the interception all the way to the ground and the play was not reviewed.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Boyd was 17-of-21 for 235 yards - in addition to rushing for 73 yards - in the first half, but Miller's late TD run put Ohio State ahead 22-20 at intermission. ... Ohio State WR Philly Brown had eight catches for 116 yards. ... Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer had been 4-0 in BCS bowl games.