2021 Sugar Bowl

The 2021 Sugar Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2021, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m. local CST).^[4] The Sugar Bowl was one of two College Football Playoff semifinal games, it featured two of the four teams selected by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee—Ohio State from the Big Ten and Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with the winner advancing to face the winner of the Rose Bowl, Alabama, in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship. It was the 87th edition of the Sugar Bowl, and was one of the 2020–21 bowl games concluding the 2020 FBS football season. Sponsored by insurance provider Allstate, the game was officially known as the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

2021 Allstate Sugar Bowl
College Football Playoff Semifinal 87th Sugar Bowl
Ohio State Buckeyes Clemson Tigers (6–0) (10–1) Big Ten ACC 49 28 Head coach:  Ryan Day Head coach:  Dabo Swinney AP Coaches CFP 3 3 3 AP Coaches CFP 2 2 2
1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 14 21 7 7 49 Clemson 14 0 7 7 28
Date	January 1, 2021
Season	2020
Stadium	Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP	Justin Fields (QB, Ohio State) Tuf Borland (LB, Ohio State)
Favorite	Clemson by 7[1]
Referee	David Alvarez (Big 12)[2]
Attendance	3,000
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Chris Fowler (play-by-play) Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi (sidelines)
Nielsen ratings	(19.15 million viewers)[3]
International TV coverage
Network	ESPN Deportes ESPN Brasil
Announcers	ESPN Brasil: Matheus Pinheiro (play-by-play) Weinny Eirado (analyst)
Sugar Bowl  < 2020  2022 (Jan.) >  2 vs. 3 Seed CFP Semifinal Game  < 2019 Fiesta 2021 Orange >

The game was carried by ESPN, with its lead college football broadcast team of Chris Fowler on play-by-play and Kirk Herbstreit on color commentary. Three days before the game, Herbstreit announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and would work the game from his home.^[5]

Background

College Football Playoff

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, site of the Sugar Bowl

The four teams competing in the Playoff were chosen by the CFP selection committee, whose final rankings were released on December 4, 2022. The committee selected No. 1 Alabama from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), No. 2 Clemson from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), No. 3 Ohio State from the Big Ten Conference, and No. 4 Notre Dame, an FBS independent playing as an ACC member for the 2020 season.^[6] Alabama entered the playoff with an undefeated 11–0 record, Clemson and Notre Dame both entered 10–1, and Ohio State entered 6–0.^[7]

	Semifinals					Championship
	January 1 – Rose Bowl AT&T Stadium, Arlington[a]
	1	Alabama	31
	4	Notre Dame	14			January 11 – National Championship Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
						1	Alabama	52
	January 1 – Sugar Bowl Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans					3	Ohio State	24
	2	Clemson	28
	3	Ohio State	49

1. The 2021 Rose Bowl was moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in California.

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Teams

The 2021 Sugar Bowl was held between the Clemson Tigers of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference. The game was a rematch of the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, where Clemson defeated Ohio State to advance to the 2020 National Championship Game. It was the 18th Sugar Bowl featuring a matchup of two teams ranked in the top 5.^[8] The teams were announced by College Football Playoff selection committee on December 20, 2020.^[9]

Only 3,000 ticketed spectators were permitted because of the coronavirus pandemic.^[10] There were 728 tickets for family members of Ohio State players and coaches and 728 tickets for family members of Clemson players and coaches. The remaining 1,544 tickets were for sponsors, business partners, and local Sugar Bowl season ticket holders.^[10]

Clemson Tigers

Main article: 2020 Clemson Tigers football team

Clemson entered the game with a record of 10–1 (8–1 ACC) after defeating Notre Dame in the 2020 ACC Championship. Clemson's only loss was to Notre Dame earlier in the season, a double-overtime loss in a game the Tigers played without starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence.^[11] Other than Notre Dame, Clemson's only win over a ranked team came against Miami (FL). The Tigers were ranked No. 2 entering the game.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Main article: 2020 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

Ohio State entered the game with a record of 6–0 (5–0 Big Ten) after defeating Northwestern in the 2020 Big Ten Championship. In addition to Northwestern, Ohio State defeated two ranked teams during the season, Penn State and Indiana. Due to a six-win campaign, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney stated that the Buckeyes "weren't a Top 10 team", voting them at No. 11 prior to the game.^[12] The Buckeyes were ranked No. 3 entering the game.

Game summary

The game's officiating crew, representing the Big 12 Conference, was led by referee David Alvarez and umpire Rob Richeson.^[2] The game was played indoors at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 1, 2021, with a start time of 7:20 p.m. CST.^[13]

The pregame coin toss was won by Ohio State, who deferred their choice to the second half, thereby giving Clemson possession of the ball to begin the game.^[13]

First half

Clemson began the game with possession of the ball following Blake Haubeil's opening kickoff.

Scoring summary

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 2021 Allstate Sugar Bowl

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 3 Ohio State	14	21	7	7	49
No. 2 Clemson	14	0	7	7	28

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana

• Date: Friday, January 1, 2021
• Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST (7:20 p.m. CST)
• Game weather: n/a (game played indoors)
• Game attendance: 3,000
• Referee: David Alvarez (Big 12)
• TV announcers (ESPN): Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi (sidelines)
• ESPN game summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Ohio State Clemson 1 12:10 8 82 2:50 Clemson Trevor Lawrence 2-yard touchdown run, B. T. Potter kick good 0 7 1 7:59 3 77 1:12 Ohio State Trey Sermon 32-yard touchdown run, Blake Haubeil kick good 7 7 1 5:01 7 75 2:58 Clemson Travis Etienne 3-yard touchdown run, B. T. Potter kick good 7 14 1 1:36 6 75 3:25 Ohio State Luke Farrell 8-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 14 14 2 10:35 9 84 4:16 Ohio State Jeremy Ruckert 17-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 21 14 2 5:12 9 75 4:25 Ohio State Chris Olave 9-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 28 14 2 0:11 12 80 3:09 Ohio State Jeremy Ruckert 12-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 35 14 3 7:56 9 80 3:49 Clemson Cornell Powell 10-yard touchdown reception from Trevor Lawrence, B. T. Potter kick good 35 21 3 4:55 7 91 3:00 Ohio State Chris Olave 56-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 42 21 4 14:03 2 59 0:49 Ohio State Jameson Williams 45-yard touchdown reception from Justin Fields, Blake Haubeil kick good 49 21 4 10:42 10 75 3:21 Clemson Cornell Powell 26-yard touchdown reception from Trevor Lawrence, B. T. Potter kick good 49 28 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 49 28

Statistics

Team statistical comparison[13] Statistic Ohio State Clemson First downs 26 23 First downs rushing 10 4 First downs passing 15 17 First downs penalty 1 2 Third down efficiency 5–12 5–12 Fourth down efficiency 0–0 0–2 Total plays–net yards 72–639 70–444 Rushing attempts–net yards 44–254 22–44 Yards per rush 5.8 2.0 Yards passing 385 400 Pass completions–attempts 22–28 33–48 Interceptions thrown 1 1 Punt returns–total yards 2–14 0–0 Kickoff returns–total yards 0–0 2–41 Punts–average yardage 4–47.2 5–47.4 Fumbles–lost 1–0 3–1 Penalties–yards 9–95 3–20 Time of possession 34:05 25:55

Ohio State statistics[13] Buckeyes passing C–A Yds TD–INT Justin Fields 22–28 385 6–1 Buckeyes rushing Car Yds TD Trey Sermon 31 193 1 Justin Fields 8 42 0 Miyan Williams 3 21 0 TEAM 2 −2 0 Buckeyes receiving Rec Yds TD Chris Olave 6 132 2 Trey Sermon 4 61 0 Jameson Williams 3 62 1 Jeremy Ruckert 3 55 2 Garrett Wilson 2 52 0 Jaxon Smith-Njigba 2 12 0 Luke Farrell 2 11 1

Clemson statistics[13] Tigers passing C–A Yds TD–INT Trevor Lawrence 33–48 400 2–1 Tigers rushing Car Yds TD Travis Etienne 10 32 1 Lyn-J Dixon 2 20 0 Trevor Lawrence 10 −8 1 Tigers receiving Rec Yds TD Cornell Powell 8 139 2 Travis Etienne 4 64 0 Amari Rodgers 8 54 0 E.J. Williams 5 45 0 Braden Galloway 2 38 0 Davis Allen 2 35 0 Brannon Spector 2 16 0 Frank Ladson Jr. 1 9 0 Lyn-J Dixon 1 0 0