Coach Swinney pregame: “Hey, listen to me! All of you, hear me on this: I love you guys. I love all of you. Ain’t no scoreboard going to change that. I love all you guys and I got your back.”#ALLIN, always. pic.twitter.com/VqZCwLL5rL— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 14, 2020
Coach Swinney pregame: “Hey, listen to me! All of you, hear me on this: I love you guys. I love all of you. Ain’t no scoreboard going to change that. I love all you guys and I got your back.”#ALLIN, always. pic.twitter.com/VqZCwLL5rL
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 14, 2020
Box Score
NEW ORLEANS — No. 3 Clemson lost its first game in more than two years, falling to No. 1 LSU 42-25 in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday night. Clemson’s seniors closed their careers with a 55-4 record, suffering their first loss since dropping the 2018 Sugar Bowl in the same stadium at the end of the 2017 season. Clemson closed the year with a 14-1 record, while LSU joined Clemson (2018) as the only FBS programs in the modern era to finish 15-0.
The loss snapped Clemson’s 29-game winning streak. The 29 consecutive wins tied for the 12th-longest winning streak in college football history and was the longest since Florida State won 29 straight between 2012-14. It was the Tigers’ first loss in 742 days as well.
Travis Etienne finished with 78 yards on the ground, while he added five receptions for 36 yards. Etienne became Clemson’s all-time leading rusher, passing Raymond Priester’s former mark of 3,966 career rushing yards. Justyn Ross was Clemson’s leading receiver with five receptions for 76 yards..
Clemson struck first on Trevor Lawrence’s rushing touchdown. After an LSU scoring strike, B.T. Potter put Clemson back on top with a career-long 52-yard field goal, which marked the longest field goal in CFP National Championship Game history.
After a stop, Tee Higgins took his first career carry, a reverse, 36 yards across the field and dove in for a score with 10:38 to play in the second quarter. On that drive, Clemson went 96 yards in just four plays in taking a 17-7 lead. From there, LSU closed the first half by scoring three touchdowns in the final 9:17, including a 95-yard drive that gave it a 28-17 lead at halftime.
Clemson made a statement out of halftime, sacking Burrow on third down to end LSU’s first drive, and going 50 yards in six plays, punctuated with an Etienne rushing score and an Amari Rodgers two-point conversion. However, LSU scored two unanswered touchdowns to take a 42-25 lead with 12:08 to play in the contest, a lead it held for the remainder of the game.
One last quarter. Give it all you have, for each other.#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/UEPeqdw27y— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 14, 2020
One last quarter. Give it all you have, for each other.#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/UEPeqdw27y
We see you, BT! 👀Potter knocks in a 52-yarder to give Clemson the lead!Clemson 10, LSU 7Q2 13:43#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/8vtLAKpg0U— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 14, 2020
We see you, BT! 👀
Potter knocks in a 52-yarder to give Clemson the lead!
Clemson 10, LSU 7Q2 13:43#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/8vtLAKpg0U
TIGERS TOUCHDOWN!!!Trevor Lawrence with a 1-yd rushing TD and the Tigers strike first!Clemson 7, LSU 0Q1 6:34#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/DNerYgUXUY— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 14, 2020
TIGERS TOUCHDOWN!!!
Trevor Lawrence with a 1-yd rushing TD and the Tigers strike first!
Clemson 7, LSU 0Q1 6:34#ALLIN || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/DNerYgUXUY
