The undefeated Clemson Tigers face the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the highly anticipated College Football Playoff today. The Orange Bowl features two teams that have dominated on the field, and provides and interesting matchup between the two top teams from the ACC and Big 12.
The Sooners have been on a roll since taking their only loss to the Texas Longhorns and finished their season with a dominating win over in-state rival Oklahoma State. The Tigers are the only undefeated team left, and head coach Dabo Swinney will look to have his program ready for the biggest game in their collegiate careers.
Heisman finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson has had an incredible season for Clemson, and is a huge reason why the Tigers are the top team in the country. The Tigers sophomore quarterback has thrown for more than 3,500 yards on the season with 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. Watson is a dual threat behind center, and he is second on the team in rushing with 887 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
The Tigers can attack both through the air and on the ground, and Swinney will look to get running back Wayne Gallman carries early, as he opens up the offense for Clemson. The talented sophomore running back leads the team with 1,332 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Gallman is coming off one of his best performances in the 2015 season, in which he rushed for 187 yards and a touchdown against North Carolina in the ACC title game.
The Tigers offense has been explosive this year, but their defense is full of talented players. Junior defensive end Shaq Lawson creates havoc for opposing offenses, and can disrupt an entire game plan with his consistent pressure. Lawson has recorded 21.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks in his junior season, and is expected to be a top-level talent in the NFL.
While the Tigers defense has some incredible players that can change the outcome of a game, the Sooners are not lacking in defensive talent either. Senior linebacker Eric Striker has dominated in the Big 12 this season recording 14.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, and an interception. The 6-foot-1, 223-pound linebacker is leader on the field for Oklahoma's defense, and will look to get after Watson all afternoon.
The Sooners defense has stepped up at times this season, but head coach Bob Stoops knows he will need his junior walk-on quarterback to continue his incredible season if they want to hand the Tigers their first loss. Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield has had an incredible year throwing for 3,389 yards with 35 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Mayfield keeps defenses on their heels, as he can make plays with his feet. The junior quarterback out of Austin, Texas, has rushed for 420 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns.
Mayfield will look to target star wide receiver Sterling Shepard on New Year's Eve, as the senior wide out has been a consistent playmaker for the Sooners offense. Shepard leads the team with 79 receptions for 1,201 yards and has 11 touchdown receptions on the year. Shepard has a caught at least one touchdown in every game Oklahoma has played dating back to October and has 654 receiving yards in the past five games.
The Orange Bowl is the first game of the College Football Playoff, and both programs are making their first appearances in the newly developed college football postseason. The game starts at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, and you can watch the live broadcast here. To listen to the Sooners' radio broadcast, go here, and for the Tigers' radio broadcast, click here.
