Orange Bowl Preview: Clemson vs. Oklahoma
Thursday, Dec. 31 at 4 p.m. ET
Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
No one could have predicted that these two programs would be one win away from the national championship game.
But here we are, in the most-unlikely ACC versus Big 12 game as Clemson looks to end Oklahoma's Cinderella run. But aside from the battle between Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield, there's another angle to this one.
Of the participants in the College Football Playoff semifinals, Oklahoma is the lone school that stands out as a high-octane offensive team, with a much less-heralded defense. Because that's the Big 12 way.
Clemson, on the other hand, has the most balanced offense-to-defense ratio in the country, and it'll be interesting to see how such different teams clash on the biggest stage.
HOW THEY STACK UP:
Clemson
Record: 13-0
College Football Playoff ranking: No. 1
Points per game: 38.5 (16th)
Points against per game: 20.2 (T-18th)
Total Offense: 510.6 yards per game (12th)
Passing Yards: 288.5 (23rd)
Rushing Yards: 222.2 (22nd)
Total Defense: 295.7 (7th)
Passing Yards Allowed: 166.9 (5th)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 128.8 (23rd)
Turnover Differential: -2 (T-80th)
Oklahoma
Record: 11-1
College Football Playoff ranking: No. 4
Points per game: 45.8 (3rd)
Points against per game: 20.8 (22nd)
Total Offense: 542.9 yards per game (6th)
Passing Yards: 307.9 (19th)
Rushing Yards: 235 (15th)
Total Defense: 350.7 (32nd)
Passing Yards Allowed: 201.5 (34th)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 149.2 (44th)
Turnover Differential: +10 (T-14th)
WHY CLEMSON COULD WIN: It's tough to lose when you have a perennial Heisman Trophy candidate under center. No, Deshaun Watson is no Marcus Mariota, but to say Clemson wouldn't be undefeated without him is a vast understatement. The Tigers have played up to the level of their quarterback on offense. But on the other side of the ball, Clemson's daunting defense (ranked seventh in the nation) will be nothing like Oklahoma's seen this season.
WHY OKLAHOMA COULD WIN: Baker Mayfield is probably the best quarterback in college football not named Deshaun. After transferring to the Sooners, he transformed the program back into a powerhouse. Oklahoma has a scary offense, the scariest of the top four schools in the country. Clemson knows how to win, but Oklahoma will force the Tigers to try and put up a lot of points in a game, something the Sooners do better than every school in the country except for two. Certainly expect a better showing than the 40-6 drubbing Oklahoma suffered at the hands of the Tigers in last year's Russell Athletic Bowl.
IMPACT PLAYER TO WATCH: DESHAUN WATSON, QB, CLEMSON
Watson has really come into his own. After dealing with numerous injuries as a freshman, his return to health has been unbelievable. Easily the best dual-threat quarterback in the country, Watson has exploded for 30 passing touchdowns on 3,512 yards. Give him some room, and he'll run - signified by his 887 rushing yards and 11 scores. It'll be interesting to see how Watson performs in the biggest game of his young career. Not to mention, he'll be back next year. So the last two games of the season will be worth watching to see if he can perform under pressure.