MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Before they left their Miami hotel to head to Sun Life Stadium on Thursday, the Clemson coaches gathered the team together and reminded them of who they are.

In the week leading up to the Capital One Orange Bowl, Oklahoma players began talking to the media or anyone else that would listen about the plans they had in store for the top-ranked Tigers. Of course, Clemson’s players responded the only way they could, through the media as well.

So began the War of Words or trash talking, if you will. It carried over from the press conferences to the Coaches’ Luncheon where defensive end Shaq Lawson and several other Clemson players got into a shouting match with the Sooners’ as the two teams loaded on the buses.

During pre-game warm ups there was more talking as Lawson again got into it with a group of Sooners while cornerback Mackensie Alexander and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield were seen jawing at each as well.

“Obviously, they woke up a sleeping giant when they started to talk trash,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “That’s not who we are or what we are about, but you do not want to antagonize us.”

Instead of getting in Clemson’s head, No. 4 Oklahoma made the Tigers mad, especially in the trenches where they dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage in a 37-17 victory.

Clemson ran for 312 yards and held the Sooners to 67.

“The guys took it personal up front and we told them when leaving the hotel that we are going to win this game in the trenches,” Elliott said.

It’s amazing to think a team that basically had five new starters on the offensive line, including a true freshman at left tackle, and four new starters on the defensive line would be one win away from a National Championship, but that’s where the Tigers are.

Clemson will play No. 2 Alabama in the National Championship Game on Jan. 11 at 8:30 p.m.

“I think it’s been awesome to be able to replace essentially every single person on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, and to have zero drop off, if not be even better, maybe statistically, on both sides, and just really to be able to take over games,” Clemson left guard Eric Mac Lain said.” We really understand that it all starts in the trenches, no matter who we’re playing, no matter where we’re playing.

“If we can dominate on both sides of the ball up front, it’s going to be a very easy game for us.”

Clemson has dominated just about every single game on its way to a perfect 14-0 record, and they have taken out some of the best in doing so. The Tigers controlled the lines of scrimmage against Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State, North Carolina, and of course against Oklahoma.

The Sooners averaged just 2.0 yards per rush after averaging over five yards per carry coming in. The Tigers on the other hand averaged 5.4 yards per carry in the Orange Bowl Classic.

“When you talk about the guys that left, that’s what everybody wanted to talk about, last year’s game against the same team, we had 10 guys off of that defense go on to the NFL, and we talked about we weren’t as good. (Oklahoma) rushed the ball for 67 yards,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Last year we only rushed the ball for, I think, 67 yards.”

“On 40 attempts,” Mac Lain fired back.

“We did not run the ball against Oklahoma very well last year, and I just looked at this, and we rushed the ball for 312 yards, and they had nine of their 11 starters back. That’s just incredible,” Swinney said.

Running back Wayne Gallman led the way as he rushed for 150 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also set a new single-season rushing record in the process. Gallman now has 1,482 yards and has scored 12 touchdowns this year.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson became just the second Clemson quarterback to go over 1,000 yards rushing in a season and just third quarterback in FBS history to throw for more 3,500 yards and run for more than a 1,000, as he ran for a Clemson bowl record 145 yards and a touchdown against the Sooners.

“Going back and watching (last year’s) game we grew a lot from our run-game standpoint,” Elliott said. “I felt like this year we gave them a better chance and we had multiple schemes that gave us a chance against their schemes.”

And they executed those schemes.

“We told them all week that the key to this game was going to be controlling the line of scrimmage,” Elliott said. “The strength of their defense was there three down linemen. We felt that if we could control those guys and cover them up, and get Wayne to the line of scrimmage, then he was going to do the rest. They really take pride in it.

“The offensive line came to play. They gave Wayne running opportunities, and Deshaun did well running the football. Overall, I’m very proud to get this win.”