Not a lot went right in Clemson’s heartbreaking 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the 2022 Orange Bowl on Friday night.

With a host of special teams mistakes including three missed field goals and a failed fake field goal, along with plenty of offensive woes that resulted in 11 drives for Clemson in Tennessee territory and only one converting to a trip to the end zone, the seventh-ranked Tigers certainly did not see the end result they had hoped for against a talented Volunteers team.

Tight end Davis Allen spoke exclusively with The Clemson Insider after the loss and echoed that the issue wasn’t offensive production, but rather a lack of conversion when it mattered most.

“We just hurt ourselves in the red zone, we stopped ourselves,” Allen told TCI. “We really didn’t have any trouble moving the ball, I think we were close to almost 300 yards in the first half, so that’s not an issue. It was just we got in the end zone, and we found a way to stop ourselves.”

Among some of those mistakes was a designed trick play in the second quarter that had Allen, a lefty, throw a pass into the left corner of the end zone to fellow tight end Jake Briningstool — a pass that was unfortunately overthrown and a play that the senior wishes he could have back.

“Obviously that pass, and I had that drop,” Allen said. “That’ll stick with me for the rest of my life.

Despite thoughts of what could have been with the trick play flooding the tight end’s mind and the sadness surrounding the Orange Bowl being his last game as a Tiger, Allen is forever thankful for his time in the Clemson uniform and the immense growth he has experienced both on and off the field.

“Looking at the big picture, I gave this program everything I had for four years and I’m forever thankful for just the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than me and that’s what this is,” Allen said. “Yeah, it hurts and it’s sad and some tears were shed, but at the end of the day all I can be is thankful and that’s what I am.”

Dear Old Clemson has a limited number of replica road signs to our store.  These have reflective properties just like real road signs.  Will Shipley, Tyler Davis and Antonio Williams have signed road signs with their numbers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 

Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.

Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”

Graham Neff:
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