By Will Vandervort.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Dabo Swinney made his way from position group to position group during warm ups prior to Monday’s Russell Athletic Bowl.
“Let’s shown them what we can do,” Swinney told each group as he entered their huddle.
It was something Swinney normally does not do. And it was obvious it sent a message to his players.
Clemson scored on a 65-yard catch-and-run from Artavis Scott on the Tigers’ first offensive play, while the defense forced five turnovers, including a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Ben Boulware as the 17th-ranked Tigers’ routed No. 24 Oklahoma 40-6.
Following a three-and-out on Oklahoma’s opening drive Scott took a screen pass from quarterback Cole Stoudt on the Tigers’ first play, got a good block from fellow wide receiver Charone Peak and then made two men miss as he scampered 65 yards to the end zone.
Clemson (10-3) added a 34-yard field goal from Ammon Lakip with 8:21 to play in the opening quarter and then Boulware caught a pass tipped up into the air by the Sooners’ Sterling Shepard and return it 47 yards for the score, while bouncing in and out of traffic to take the ball to the end zone for a 17-0 lead.
Stoudt, who was maligned by fans and media alike in the weeks leading up to the Russell Athletic Bowl, had a MVP performance in leading Clemson to its 10-victory of the season. The senior finished his career by completing 26 of 36 passes for 319 yards, while totaling four touchdowns.
He threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams with 7:34 left in the second quarter to give the Tigers a 27-0 halftime lead. He then opened up the second half with a three-yard run for a 34-0 lead with 9:24 to go in the third quarter.
Later in the third quarter, Stoudt threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Germone Hopper with 1:42 to go.
With the offense playing perhaps its best game with Stoudt under center, the defense did the rest. With Vic Beasley leading the way, they sacked Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight two times and harassed him all night.
Knight completed 17 of 37 passes for 103 yards and was intercepted three times. Running back Samaje Perine, who rushed for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns in the previous three games, was held to 111 yards and no touchdowns.
Clemson swarmed the freshman all night and seldom let him get outside or break a run. When the Sooners appeared to be in position to get their first points of the game, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett stripped him of the ball at the Clemson 24 and Boulware recovered it for the Tigers.
Oklahoma (8-5) had another opportunity to score in the third quarter but defensive tackle Josh Watson forced a fumble on running back Keith Ford on the Tigers’ 43-yard line and Clemson’s Jayron Kearse recovered it to end the drive.
The Tigers’ defense, which came into the game leading the country in total defense, held the Sooners to 275 total yards and will finish the season as the No. 1 ranked defense in the country in terms of total yards allowed.
Clemson’s win marked the fourth straight year the Tigers won at least 10 games, just the second time in school history the program won 10 or more games four years in a row.
Clemson has also won three straight bowl games for the first time since the 1986-’90 teams won five straight. In the last three years, the Tigers have beaten LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma – three of the more storied programs in college football.