MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Clemson v. Oklahoma II was a war of attrition. As the game wore on, the injuries piled up.

Several of Oklahoma’s key players were knocked out of the game, including Baker Mayfield, Joe Mixon and leading tackler Jordan Evans.

Shaq Lawson was the most significant departure from the Tigers’ lineup. Mackensie Alexander was banged up late in the second half.

“We were the walking wounded over there. That was a huge part tonight,” Brent Venables told reporters in the Clemson locker room. “You name it, other than the linebackers — we played (Ryan Carter, Travis Blanks and Dorian O’Daniel) those guys there. Dan (Brooks) and Marion (Hobby) do an incredible job with those guys.

Mike (Reed) had Mark (Fields) ready. Marcus Edmond got in there as well.

“Hell, we stopped one play and we had 10 guys out there. Those 10 guys were doing something right, because we got a stop on that one.”

When Lawson was on the field, Clemson stonewalled Oklahoma’s high-powered offense, but he played just five snaps.

“I was twisting off a stunt, coming off a stunt and I felt like something just gave out on my knee…I felt like I couldn’t go 100 percent, so I didn’t want to go out there and risk nothing, jeopardize my team, if I couldn’t go,” he said.

Austin Bryant, his replacement, finished with four tackles and a 1/2 sack.

“Of course, we were going to be a little hurt by (losing) Shaq, but Austin Bryant stepped up tremendously,” said B.J. Goodson, who had seven tackles against the Sooners. “That’s why we work so hard with our backups and our twos. When one person goes down, the next person steps up immediately and competes. He did that and did a great job, gave us a chance.”

Those sentiments were shared by Cordrea Tankersley.

“He works. He goes out and tries to be like Shaq,” Tankersley said. “He looks up to Shaq and it pays off. He doesn’t try to do too much. He just does his job. People sometimes don’t even realize he’s a freshman. He just goes out there and competes.”

Bryant downplayed his contribution.

“It’s not about me. It’s about the entire team, offense, defense, special teams. Everybody served one another and the scoreboard showed it,” he said.

And you wouldn’t have known that Lawson played such a small part. Immediately after the game, the pain in his left knee wasn’t small.

Lawson assured reporters that he would be fine, despite the pain.

“Right now, it’s on 10. It hurts right now, because I just did it,” he said. “Hopefully, it shouldn’t be hurting next week.”