Clemson–Ohio State football rivalry
| First meeting | December 29, 1978 Clemson, 17–15 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | January 1, 2021 Ohio State, 49–28 |
| Next meeting | TBD |
| Trophy | None |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 5 |
| All-time series | Clemson leads, 4–1[1] |
| Largest victory | Clemson, 31–0 (2016) |
| Longest win streak | Clemson, 4 (1978–2019) |
| Current win streak | Ohio State, 1 (2021–present) |
The Clemson–Ohio State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game between the Tigers of Clemson University and the Buckeyes of Ohio State University.[2][3] Clemson leads the all-time series 4–1.[4]
History
[edit]The two universities are rich in football history, accolades, and tradition.[5] The first meeting between the Tigers and Buckeyes occurred in the 1978 Gator Bowl a contest won by Clemson by a score of 17–15.[6] The game is infamous for legendary Buckeyes head coach Woody Hayes punching Tigers linebacker Charlie Bauman in frustration after a late-game interception, which led to Hayes' immediate dismissal as Ohio State head coach after the game.[7][8] The teams wouldn't meet again until the 2014 Orange Bowl in which Clemson once again bested Ohio State 40–35.[9][10][11] The largest margin of victory in the history of the rivalry occurred in the third meeting between the schools, a 31–0 shutout win for the Tigers in the college football playoff semifinal, 2016 Fiesta Bowl, which advanced the Tigers to the National Championship.[12][13][14] The fourth meeting was the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, won by Clemson 29–23 on the last play of the game where Nolan Turner intercepted Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, which again advanced them to the National Championship.[15][16][17] However the game was overshadowed by controversy as in the third quarter, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence would throw a pass to Justyn Ross who corralled the ball before it was jarred loose by Jeff Okudah, Where the Buckeyes would pick the ball up and run in it for a touchdown. The referees and later video review would rule controversially that Ross failed to establish possession of the ball before it was stripped negating an Ohio State touchdown that would have occurred if the play had been ruled a catch and fumble.[18][19] The Buckeyes got their first win in the rivalry when they won the fifth meeting 49–28 in the 2021 Sugar Bowl, advancing the Buckeyes to the National Championship.[20][21][22] The teams have never met during the regular season and as of August 2024, there are no plans for the teams to meet again on the football field.
Game results
[edit]| Clemson victories | Ohio State victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 29, 1978 | Jacksonville, FL | Clemson | 17–15 | ||||
| 2 | January 3, 2014 | Miami Gardens, FL | Clemson | 40–35 | ||||
| 3 | December 31, 2016 | Glendale, AZ | Clemson | 31–0 | ||||
| 4 | December 28, 2019 | Glendale, AZ | Clemson | 29–23 | ||||
| 5 | January 1, 2021 | New Orleans, LA | Ohio State | 49–28 | ||||
| Series: Clemson leads 4–1 | ||||||||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes football series history". Winsipedia.
- ^ Hartman, Marcus. "Rivalry or not, Ohio State-Clemson have something unique no matter what you call it". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Rowland, Kyle. "The Ohio State-Clemson rivalry is real". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Football History vs Clemson University from January 3, 2014 - January 1, 2021". Ohio State Buckeyes.com. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Shansey, Todd. "Series history between Clemson, Ohio State started with Woody Hayes punch in 1978". Greenville Online. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "The Punch Heard 'Round the Gator Bowl". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Bennett, Brian. "Woody Hayes' last game coaching". ESPN. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Rosenberg, Michael. "Ohio State football: Woody Hayes's punch vs Clemson ended career". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins connect as Clemson rallies past Ohio State". ESPN. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Clemson 40, Ohio State 35: Buckeyes end Urban Meyer's second season with Orange Bowl loss". The Morning Journal. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Looking Back: Clemson Tigers-Ohio State Buckeyes 2014". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Clemson blanks Ohio State to set up rematch with Alabama". ESPN. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Metcalfe, Jeff. "2016 Fiesta Bowl: Clemson 31, Ohio State 0". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Manie. "This Clemson-Ohio State Fiesta Bowl won't be 31-0". Greenville Online. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Clemson moves on to title game with 29-23 win over Ohio St". ESPN. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Kercheval, Ben. "Ohio State vs. Clemson: How two controversial calls by referees swung momentum in Fiesta Bowl 2019". CBS Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Nathan, Baird. "Ohio State football's drive for greatness falls short in 29-23 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Keepfer, Scott. "Controversy: Ohio State fans haven't forgotten the 2019 Fiesta Bowl". Greenville Online. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Sapakoff, Gene. "SEC referee explains two controversial calls in Clemson's Fiesta Bowl victory". Post and Courier. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Baird, Nathan. "Ohio State emphatically proves it belongs with 49-28 blowout of Clemson in Sugar Bowl playoff semifinal". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Fields' day: No. 3 Ohio State routs No. 2 Clemson 49-28". WBNS.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Ohio State routs Clemson, 49-28, will face Alabama in College Football Playoff". PennLive.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.