When Clemson and Iowa State square off in the Cheez-It Bowl on Wednesday, it will mark seven years to the day of the Tigers’ most recent appearance in the bowl game.
Of course, it wasn’t called the Cheez-It Bowl then. The bowl has had numerous title sponsors in its 31-year history, starting as the Bluebonnet Bowl in 1990. Other names include the Tangerine, Champs Sports and Camping World bowls.
It was known as the Russell Athletic Bowl the last time Clemson played in it on Dec. 29, 2014. That day, the Tigers faced off against one of the winningest programs in the sport, Oklahoma, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Once it was over, Clemson, ranked 18th nationally at the time, set a bowl record for the largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent.
The Tigers drubbed No. 24 OU, 40-6, in the last game of quarterback Cole Stoudt’s collegiate career. It didn’t take long for Clemson to set the tone for the rout.
Stoudt threw a screen on the first play from scrimmage to receiver Artavis Scott, who did the rest for a 65-yard touchdown. The defense got in on the scoring late in the first quarter when linebacker Ben Boulware intercepted OU quarterback Trevor Knight and returned the pick 47 yards for a score. Throw in Ammon Lakip’s 34-yard field goal, and Clemson led 17-0 after the opening 15 minutes.
Stoudt was just getting warmed up. He tossed a 26-yard touchdown to Mike Williams in the second quarter, found Germonne Hopper for a 24-yard score late in the third and sandwiched a 2-yard touchdown run in between, accounting for 311 yards and four touchdowns as part of an MVP performance.
“I knew this was going to be my last game here, and I knew I prepared to be my best,” Stoudt said after the game. “I wanted to do it for the guys around me because that is what really mattered to me. I knew that, in my mind, I wanted to do the best I could for the team and go out there and have some fun.
“I just wanted to enjoy the last game we would play together, and that is what we did.”
His touchdown pass to Hopper put Clemson in front 40-0 and well on its way to a 2-1 record in some variation of the bowl game. The Sooners avoided the shutout with 6 minutes, 57 seconds on Alex Ross’ 11-yard touchdown run, but Clemson blocked Michael Hunnicutt’s ensuing extra-point attempt.
The Tigers suffocated an OU offense that finished in the top 25 nationally in yards (464 per game) and points (36.4) that season, limiting the Sooners to 275 total yards and just 2 of 12 on third down. Clemson also forced OU into five turnovers, including three interceptions.
“They deserve that explanation mark they put on there tonight,” then-defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “That was a very good offense that they took control of from the onset.”
The victory capped a fourth straight season of at least 10 wins for the Tigers, a string of double-digit win campaigns that now stands at 10. Clemson will try to make it 11 straight such seasons in a few days on the same field.
Check out more of TCI’s coverage of that game below.
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