Orange Bowl 2015: Game Grades, Analysis for Clemson vs. Oklahoma
The No. 1 Clemson Tigers upended the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, 37-17, in the 2015 Orange Bowl on Thursday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Clemson will challenge the winner of the 2015 Cotton Bowl between Alabama and Michigan State in the national championship.
| Pass Offense | B- | B |
| Run Offense | B | A- |
| Pass Defense | B- | A- |
| Run Defense | A- | A |
| Special Teams | A | B+ |
| Coaching | A- | A |
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Pass Offense: Deshaun Watson struggled early and threw an awful interception, but the sophomore quarterback lasered a touchdown to Hunter Renfrow. Watson finished 16-of-31 for 187 yards, connecting with Artavis Scott five times for 63 yards.
Run Offense: Per the school, Thursday marked the first time Clemson had a pair of 100-yard rushers in a bowl game. Wayne Gallman scampered for 150, two touchdowns and set the program's single-season yardage record. Watson racked up 145 yards and scored once.
Pass Defense: Shaq Lawson created two sacks and received credit for one, but a knee injury forced the star defensive end out of action before the first quarter ended. B.J. Goodson grabbed a pick on an ugly predetermined pass, and Ben Boulware sealed the win with an amazing interception.
Run Defense: Although Samaje Perine tallied 33 yards on the opening drive, Clemson tightened up on him like it did to Dalvin Cook. The Tigers also successfully limited quarterback Baker Mayfield's scrambling ability and impact on read-option runs.
Special Teams: Greg Huegel buried his first three field goals but missed from 47. Andy Teasdall dropped two punts inside the 20-yard line, and his 31-yard pass on a fake punt set up Clemson's first touchdown.
Coaching: For the second straight year, defensive coordinator Brent Venables assembled a tremendous performance against his former employer. Dabo Swinney, Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott executed an outstanding offensive game plan.
| Pass Offense | B+ | B- |
| Run Offense | B- | D+ |
| Pass Defense | B | B |
| Run Defense | C- | F |
| Special Teams | C+ | C- |
| Coaching | B+ | C+ |
Pass Offense: Mayfield (26-41, 311 YDS) narrowly avoided costly turnovers in the first half, but Boulware capitalized on a chance to seal the win. The red-zone interception ended Oklahoma's chance at a comeback. Sterling Shepard caught seven passes for 87 yards.
Run Offense: Following the productive first possession, Perine trudged to 25 yards on 10 carries. Mayfield picked up 17 yards on five carries, losing 32 due to sacks. The Sooners managed just 67 rushing yards—exactly the same total they rushed for in their loss to Texas.
Pass Defense: Frank Shannon sacked Watson once, and Zack Sanchez snagged an important interception that prevented the Tigers from taking a lead into the locker room. However, Clemson's success on the ground turned the aerial attack into a complementary weapon.
Run Defense: Designed quarterback runs gave Oklahoma problems, particularly around the edge. Gallman then ripped through the Sooners up the middle. Clemson's 312 yards was one short of the season-high mark against the ordinarily stout run defense.
Special Teams: Austin Seibert blasted a 52-yard punt and had another downed inside the Clemson 5-yard line. Fortunately for Oklahoma, his awful 24-yarder only resulted in a field goal. Alex Ross managed 24.2 yards per kick return, a shade above his season average.
Coaching: The offensive strategy was adequate, but defensive coordinator Mark Stoops simply couldn't stop the ground game. Although "Big Game Bob" Stoops couldn't shake the detractors, he deserves praise for bringing Oklahoma back among the nation's elite.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
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