San Antonio Semi-Finals: Ohio State nips Clemson, Alabama rallies past Stanford

The Alamodome was the perfect place for a couple of real San Antonio shoot-outs in the Semi-Finals of the BCS National Championship Tournament.  And Texas Christian QB Trevone Boykin must not have been serving as local tour guide for the teams, because the players found no trouble along the RiverWalk.

In the spirit of “quality over quantity,” three of the Power Five conferences had only a single tournament team, but the lone representative of the ACC, SEC, and Pac-12 all made it to Football’s Final Four.  Of course, quantity didn’t hurt the Big Ten, with three teams in the tournament, and Ohio State, the one that didn’t win a division, also makes the trip to San Antone. 

GAME 1: #5 Ohio State 42, #1 Clemson 40

Compared to the second game, these were a couple of relative newbie programs to Football’s Final Four.  It was the first appearance for the top seeded Tigers of Clemson, and the first time in five years, and first time for coach Urban Meyer, for Ohio State. 

The talented troupe of Buckeyes that Urban Meyer has assembled was ready for the task.  Michael Thomas 15 yard pass reception from J.T. Barrett gave OSU the early lead.  But unlike a jittery first half in their Orange Bowl win against TCU, Clemson responded immediately.  Deshaun Watson hit Hunter Renfrow with a 31 yard TD pass midway through the first, then ended the frame with a 11 yard pass to Renfrow.  Clemson entered the second quarter leading 14-7, and would take that lead to halftime after a scoreless.

Halftime, 14-7?  San Antonio was supposed to be filled with shootouts!  Well, the shootout was coming, don’t worry.    OSU QB Barrett hit Michael Thomas on a 50 yard TD pass play to tie, the game, and the Buckeyes struck again on an Ezekiel Elliott 1 yard TD run, to give Ohio State a 21-14 lead.   But Clemson fought back, with a Greg Huegel field goal, followed by Wayne Gallman’s 1 yard TD run, and the Tigers regained the 24-21 lead. 

But Clemson gave up too many big plays in the fourth quarter.  J.T. Barrett’s 13 yard TD run gave the lead back to Ohio State to start the fourth quarter fireworks.  Tigers kicker Huegel‘s 31 yard field goal narrowed the OSU lead to 28-27.   Elliott ran in another 1 yard TD run, though, and the Buckeyes lead by 8.  Artavis Scott caught a 15 yard TD strike from Deshaun Watson, but Watson’s run on a two-point conversion came up short, in a key play for Clemson.  

With just over a minute to go, OSU QB Barrett ran it in from 5 yards out, and things looked good for the Buckeyes with a 9 point lead.  Clemson was not done though, and Watson threw a 24 yard TD pass to  Jordan Leggett with 12 seconds remaining.

Clemson’s last chance onside kick was recovered by Ohio State, and the Buckeyes held on to the 42-40 victory.  Urban Meyer returns to familiar territory, the BCS Championship Game, but this time with OSU.

GAME 2: #2 Alabama 45, #6 Stanford 36

Here are two teams familiar with being in Football’s Final Four.  Alabama’s 6 trips over the past 7 years are truly impressive, and Stanford’s 4 appearances over the last six seasons also is quite a feat.  In their only head to head over this period in the Semi-Finals, Stanford shocked Alabama three years ago.  With that history in place, plus Bama’s Heisman winner Derrick Henry facing Cardinal Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffrey, fans expected a great second act on Semi-Final day.

And Tide running back Henry showed his skills early, with a 50 yard touchdown run to start the scoring.  But the Cardinal were not backing off, and McCaffrey scored on a 75 yard pass from Kevin Hogan to tie the score.  Hogan added an 8 yard TD run, and Stanford had the lead at the end of the first quarter, 14-7.

The second quarter belonged to the Crimson Tide.  Henry’s 1 yard TD run and an O.J. Howard 53 yard reception from Jake Coker put Bama up at halftime, 21-14.  But the pendulum swung back to Stanford after the break.  Quenton Meeks 66 yard interception return tied the game, and then McCaffrey’s 63 yard punt return for TD put Stanford back on top, 29-21. 

Alabama’s Adam Griffith 33 yard field goal brought the game closer in the fourth quarter, but his subsequent onside kick recovered by the Crimson Tide brought the house down.  Two plays later, Coker’s 51 yard pass Howard pushed the pendulum way back to Bama, and they lead 31-29.  Henry added another 1 yard TD run, and pushed the lead to 9.  Austin Hooper 10 yard TD pass reception from Hogan cut the lead to 2, but Kenyan Drake’s 95 yard return on the ensuing kickoff gave Alabama the final cushion they would finish with, a 45-36 victory. 

Nick Saban and Urban Meyer will meet again, this time in the BCS Championship Game, and Alabama will try to win their first title since 2011-2012.

UPDATED TOURNAMENT RESULTS!:

FIRST ROUND:

In Shreveport, LA:
7 Iowa 16
10 Houston 34
 
In Chicago:
8 Notre Dame 28
9 Texas Christian 30
 
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):

Orange: 
1 Clemson 37
9 Texas Christian 22
 
Sugar: 
4 Oklahoma 17
5 Ohio State 31

Peach: 
2 Alabama 38
10 Houston 8

Rose:
3 Michigan State 0 
6 Stanford 29


SEMI-FINALS in San Antonio

1 Clemson 40
5 Ohio State 42

2 Alabama 45
6 Stanford 36
 
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Glendale, Arizona

2 Alabama
5 Ohio State