By Will Vandervort.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Ben Boulware felt like he was back returning kickoffs at T.L. Hanna High School again, when he took a first-quarter interception against Oklahoma Monday in the Russell Athletic Bowl and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown.
“I think it was a flashback to my high school days when I was returning kicks my junior and senior year,” Clemson’s middle linebacker said. “It was really about being in the right place at the right time. The ball just fell from the heavens into my hands and I was able to make a play.
“I was excited.”
Boulware and the Clemson defense made a lot of plays during the 17th-ranked Tigers’ 40-6 victory over No. 24 Oklahoma. It was Clemson’s largest margin of victory in a bowl game, topping the 1990 team’s 30-0 victory over Illinois in the 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl.
As for Boulware, who had to start for senior Stephone Anthony who sat out the first half due to a targeting foul he was penalized for in the Tigers’ win over South Carolina in the regular-season finale, he recorded four tackles, tackle for loss and recovered a fumble that stymied a potential Oklahoma scoring drive.
Then there was the interception return as he ran in and out and around defenders like he has done this before.
“They need to put me in at running back. I can take over Wayne’s (Gallman) job,” Boulware joked.
Boulware said the interception lifted the entire Clemson sideline and revved up a defense that was already pumped up to begin with.
“It shoots fire up their butts to be honest with you,” Boulware said. “Everybody is ready to play and ready to play fast. I think that’s the main thing. We all want to play intelligently, but when you are playing fast, excited and physical, that’s when you win games.”
Clemson’s defense also caused five turnovers—a high for a Brent Venables’ Clemson defense—and picked off Sooners’ quarterback Trevor Knight three times.
The Tigers (10-3) held an Oklahoma offense that was averaging 481 yards a game coming in to 275 total yards and a running game that ranked ninth nationally overall at 268 yards per game to 172 yards. The Sooners had just 90 total yards at halftime and entered the fourth quarter, when Clemson was already up 40-0, with just 130 total yards.
Historical win. Clemson’s 34-point victory margin over 24th-ranked Oklahoma tied the school record for largest margin of victory over a team ranked in the top 25 in either of the major polls entering the game. It was the largest since 1950, when Clemson beat Missouri 34-0 at Missouri.
This was the second largest margin of defeat for Oklahoma in a bowl game. The only one larger is a 36-point victory by Southern California (55-19) in the 2005 Orange Bowl.
Who’s next? Clemson has won three consecutive bowl games, all against programs who have won the National Championship since 2000 – LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma. The coaches they defeated, Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops also won national championships since 2000.
Rare company. Clemson joins Alabama, Northern Illinois and Oregon as the only schools with at least 10 wins each of the last four years.
You can’t top six. Clemson has allowed Oklahoma to score just 12 points and score just one touchdown in eight quarters of football in the Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. They came into those games averaging at least 30 points per game each season, including 38 a game this year.
Four is the mark. Quarterback Cole Stoudt accounted for four touchdowns in earning MVP honors, three passing and one rushing. He joins Tajh Boyd and Woody Dantzler as the only Clemson quarterbacks to account for at least four touchdowns in a bowl game.
First time for everything. Artavis Scott had 114 yards receiving and Mike Williams added 112. It marked the first time Clemson has had a pair of 100-yard receivers in a bowl game.