2018 Sugar Bowl

The 2018 Sugar Bowl was a College Football Playoff semifinal bowl game that was played on January 1, 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The 84th Sugar Bowl game, it matched two of the top four teams selected by the Selection Committee-Alabama from the SEC and Clemson from the ACC to compete to face the winner of the Rose Bowl (Georgia) in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship played on January 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games that concluded the 2017 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Allstate insurance company, the game is officially known as the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl
College Football Playoff Semifinal 84th Sugar Bowl
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted the Sugar Bowl.
Alabama Crimson Tide Clemson Tigers (11–1) (12–1) SEC ACC 24 6 Head coach:  Nick Saban Head coach:  Dabo Swinney AP Coaches CFP 4 4 4 AP Coaches CFP 1 1 1
1 2 3 4 Total Alabama 10 0 14 0 24 Clemson 0 3 3 0 6
Date	January 1[1], 2018
Season	2017
Stadium	Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana, US
MVP	Jalen Hurts, QB (Offensive) Daron Payne, DT (Defensive)
Favorite	Alabama by 3½
Referee	Land Clark (Pac-12)
Halftime show	Million Dollar Band (Alabama) Clemson Tiger Marching Band (Clemson)
Attendance	72,360[2]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN, ESPN Deportes
Announcers	Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge (ESPN) Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio)
Nielsen ratings	11.5 (21.6 million viewers)
Sugar Bowl  < 2017  2019 >  1 vs. 4 Seed CFP Semifinal Game  < 2016 Peach 2018 Orange >

The contest was televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio and XM Satellite Radio, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET).

Teams

The #1-ranked Clemson Tigers, champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference, faced the #4-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, co-champions of the SEC West Division (along with Auburn who won head-to-head over Alabama.) This was the third consecutive year in which Clemson and Alabama met in the CFPs, though the previous two meetings were in the CFP Championship Game.

See also

• Alabama–Clemson football rivalry

Notes

• January 1, 2018 – The Rose Bowl in Pasadena hosted the other semi-final game.

This was Alabama's first Sugar Bowl win of the Nick Saban era. This was also their first win in a Sugar bowl since 1993 against Miami. The Tide had lost games in the 2008–2009, 2013–2014, and 2014–2015 football/bowl seasons. This was also the first win for the Southeastern Conference in the Sugar Bowl since 2010 (Ole Miss has to vacate a win over Oklahoma State), including losses to Louisville, Oklahoma (twice) and Ohio State (twice).

Game summary

The Crimson Tide immediately took a 10–3 lead at halftime. Alex Spence was the only player to score for the Clemson Tigers with just two field goals. Alabama's defense was a huge factor in the game holding the Tigers to only six points. This matchup was a rematch of the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship in which the Tigers won with quarterback Deshaun Watson leading the team as the game's MVP. The Tigers were not able to perform without Watson and with Kelly Bryant.

Scoring summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 4 Alabama	10	0	14	0	24
No. 1 Clemson	0	3	3	0	6

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana

• Date: Monday, January 1, 2018
• Game time: 8:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 72,360
• Referee: Land Clark (Pac-12)
• TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge (sidelines)
• Box score

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP BAMA CLEM 1 5:23 10 47 5:24 BAMA 24-yard field goal by Andy Pappanastos 3 0 1 0:12 8 46 3:34 BAMA Calvin Ridley 12-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Hurts, Andy Pappanastos kick good 10 0 2 10:00 13 54 5:03 CLEM 44-yard field goal by Alex Spence 10 3 3 12:45 4 5 2:03 CLEM 42-yard field goal by Alex Spence 10 6 3 5:40 7 27 3:38 BAMA Daron Payne 1-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Hurts, Andy Pappanastos kick good 17 6 3 5:27 BAMA Interception returned 18 yards for touchdown by Mack Wilson, Andy Pappanastos kick good 24 6 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. - -

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 4 Crimson Tide	10	0	14	0	24
No. 1 Tigers	0	3	3	0	6

Statistics	BAMA	CLEM
First downs	16	14
Plays–yards	66–261	70–188
Rushes–yards	42–141	33–64
Passing yards	120	124
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	141	64
Time of possession	32:11	27:49

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
BAMA	Passing	Jalen Hurts	16/24, 120 yds, 2 TD
	Rushing	Damien Harris	19 car, 77 yds
	Receiving	Calvin Ridley	4 rec, 39 yds, 1 TD
CLEM	Passing	Kelly Bryant	18/36, 124 yds, 2 INT
	Rushing	Travis Etienne	4 car, 22 yds
	Receiving	Deon Cain	6 rec, 75 yds