Despite shutting out Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl in one of the more impressive bowl game performances by a Clemson defense in history, Brent Venable still can’t forget about those three fourth-quarter drives his defense gave up to Virginia Tech in last month’s ACC Championship game.

Prior to those three drives, the Tigers (13-1) were dominating the Hokies in every facet. Virginia Tech’s previous five possessions were five straight drives of three plays and out, including an interception. The Clemson defense was dominating the game, and at the time, it was not even close.

Then came the 11-man zone defense, where Venables dropped his entire defense into coverage in an attempt to confuse Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans. However, Evans fired a deep ball down the field where the 6-foot-7 tight end Bucky Hodges out jumped the 5-foot-9 Ryan Carter for the ball and a 42-yard gain to the Clemson 42.

That got the Hokies going as they scored two plays later and then scored on their next two possessions. They were driving for a possible winning score, when Cordrea Tankersley intercepted Evans’ fourth down pass at the Clemson 14 to seal the victory.

The Hokies totaled 252 of their 386 yards in the fourth quarter.

“Virginia Tech still bothers you because we felt like we were playing in a dominate way these last four or five games this season,” Venables said.

Clemson was. After giving up 43 points in a one-point loss to Pittsburgh, the Tigers allowed Wake Forest just 197 total yards and South Carolina 218, while holding the two teams to a combined 21 points.

“We really felt like we were getting into a nice rhythm and really complimenting each other on both sides of the ball. Hopefully, that will continue,” Venables said.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and Venables used that fourth quarter to motivate their defense in the Fiesta Bowl. After limiting the Buckeyes to 88 first half yards, Swinney challenged the defense to finish the game and play four quarters.

The responded by forcing three second-half turnovers and holding the Buckeyes to 215 total yards, while pitching the third shutout of the season.

Now Venables hopes his defense can carry that momentum into next Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Alabama.

“You would be naïve to say nothing and that you have to start over,” he said. “It’s a one-game season. In some respects, that would be the case.”

However, in this case, it is a one-game season with the national championship on the line, and what makes it more intriguing is the fact Alabama will have a new playcaller with Steve Sarkisian taking over for Lane Kiffin, who was released to coach at his new school Florida Atlantic University on Monday.

Sarkisian coached with Kiffin at Southern Cal when Pete Carroll was the head coach there. He later went on to be the head coach at Washington and at Southern Cal before being released at Southern Cal due to personal reasons.

Venables says he doesn’t really know what to expect from Sarkisian and the Crimson Tide offense this week.

“Really, there is a lot you don’t know so if there are changes, you don’t know what they are,” he said. “I know they have a background that has been more together than separate. I think they come from the same coaching tree and are probably as close as colleagues can get in this profession.

“Understanding their personnel and their scheme are probably some of the big things you are focused on, and again, at the end of the day, there are no magical calls. You can probably put them in a really tough situation, but you hope systematically you are in position to defend things well.”

—Photo Credit: Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY Sports