Lawrence on his favorite Clemson game that now-Jags teammates ‘still are pissed about’
By: Gavin Oliver May 13, 2023

The winningest starting quarterback in Clemson history, Trevor Lawrence certainly has plenty of great memories when he reflects on his career as a Tiger, including leading his team to a national title as a true freshman in 2018.

But besides that national championship game vs. Alabama, what was Lawrence’s favorite game from his time at Clemson?

Lawrence discussed that on The Journey with former Clemson teammate Darien Rencher, pointing to the classic battle against Ohio State in the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl — a contest that saw the Tigers prevail in a last-minute 29-23 victory at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

“My favorite game was that Ohio State game – the first one, not the second one,” Lawrence said. “The second one was not good. That was one of my least favorite college moments. The first one, crazy game.”

Of course, the second game against Ohio State that Lawrence alluded to was at the end of the 2020 season when the Tigers fell to the Buckeyes 49-28 in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl, Lawrence’s final game as a Clemson player.

But as for that Fiesta Bowl victory over the Buckeyes one year earlier, Lawrence remembers that one fondly.

The Tigers trailed 16-0 midway through the second quarter, but Lawrence’s 67-yard touchdown run in the waning moments of the first half cut Ohio State’s lead to two, and he later connected with Travis Etienne for a go-ahead 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. Clemson safety Nolan Turner then came up with the game-sealing interception of quarterback Justin Fields in the end zone on Ohio State’s final possession.

The game also featured this controversial call that went the Tigers’ way and kept momentum on their side: In the second half, it looked like Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah stripped the ball away from Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross. The Buckeyes returned the loose ball for a touchdown, and referees initially ruled it a catch and fumble return touchdown that would have given Ohio State a 23-21 lead. However, after replay review, the call was overturned and the pass was ruled incomplete.

Lawrence says a couple of his current Jacksonville Jaguars teammates who were on that Ohio State team are still not happy about the call to this day.

“I have a couple of Ohio State teammates now that played on that team – DaVon (Hamilton), Luke (Farrell), there might be another one, but those two for sure,” Lawrence said. “We played against them, and they still are pissed about it. They still talk about the fumble, the incompletion, whatever. It was an incompletion, but whatever you guys want to call it, they always talk about it. But for us, it was like obviously a huge game, and that was one of my favorite memories.”

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