MIAMI GARDENS, Florida (AP) — Joe Milton accomplished 19 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 6 Tennessee ended its finest 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 finest 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) saved arising empty of alternatives. The Tigers entered Tennessee territory on 9 of their first ten possessions—and transformed these drives into simply two discipline objectives.
Klopnik ran in from 4 yards out to get Clemson inside 21-14 with 10:01 remaining, however Melton linked 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 – however it loomed.
The employees set about post-game preparation, together with the same old oranges that the successful staff will get through the trophy ceremony.
And on this very orange Orange Bowl—each groups have the first coloration—Tennessee’s coloration was one of the best.
Orange Bowl MVP Melton opened the scoring with a 16-yard cross 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 largest offense wasn’t at its finest Friday evening — Tennessee led the nation this yr in yards and factors per sport — 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.
In some way, this solely added as much as three factors.
The sphere objective was Clemson’s solely success of the primary half. The opposite six possessions: a stuffed faux discipline objective 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 at school historical past – and a brutal last effort when goalkeeper Klopnik was tackled with 6 seconds left. Clemson was out of timeouts, could not get a discipline objective unit on the court docket and went into halftime trailing 14-3.
Potter opened the second half with a hit-free 40-yard run—the 73rd discipline objective of his profession, a Tigers college file. However White caught a 14-yard cross 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 sport, as anticipated — and one fan was notably joyful. Peyton Manning was the entrance facet and had a significant seat within the contest. When proven on the stadium screens through the second half, he pointed to a Tennessee cap and nodded on goal because the Volvo followers roared.
Clemson: It is not exhausting to pin down the three large performs the Tigers lament. The faux discipline objective 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 discipline and, 4 performs later, discovered Milton White for a 21-6 lead.
Implications of the opinion ballot
Tennessee may climb a spot or two, relying on what occurs within the Faculty Soccer Playoff video games. It will be the Vols’ finest end in at the least 20 years; They have been No. 4 in 2001 and No. 1 in 1998.
Clemson will likely be a part of the ultimate ballot for the twelfth yr in a row, extending the longest such run at school historical past. The Tigers have been in six consecutive season-ending polls from 1986 by 1991.
Subsequent
Tennessee: The Vols open subsequent season in opposition to Virginia on Sept. 2 in Nashville. This will likely be Virginia’s first sport because the taking pictures that killed three gamers and led to the cancellation of the Cavaliers’ final two video games of 2022.
Clemson: A Week 1 sport in opposition to a rival within the Atlantic Coast Convention awaits, and can probably be introduced someday in January. Clemson’s first non-conference sport is about for September 9 in opposition to Charleston Southern.
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