Clemson Claims Sixth Straight ACC Championship With 34-10 Win Over Notre Dame
By Zach Wagner
For the sixth straight season, the Clemson Tigers Football Team claimed the ACC Championship with a blowout win over #2 Notre Dame, 34-10. Trevor Lawrence was named the games MVP after throwing for 322 yards and two touchdowns. The Heisman Trophy hopeful also rushed for 90 yards and one rushing touchdown, including a 34-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter. #3 Clemson (10-1, 9-1 ACC) now awaits to find out where they will play in the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Clemson became just the first ever power-five school to represent its conference in six straight conference championship games. Oklahoma, who won its sixth straight BIG-Ⅻ Championship earlier in the day, only began playing a conference championship game back in 2017.
Travis Etienne got back to being one of the best running backs in the nation, recording 124 rushing yards on 10 attempts. The senior added one rushing touchdown in his fourth ACC Championship Game.
Amari Rodgers caught eight passes for 121 receiving yards and one touchdown. Rodgers caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence early in the first quarter after Notre Dame added a field goal on its first drive to take the lead, 7-3. Freshman E.J. Williams also added a receiving touchdown and made a spectacular one-handed catch on the sideline in the fourth quarter.
After giving up 47 points in South Bend earlier in the season, Brent Venables and the defense allowed 10 points to the Fighting Irish and held them to 263 total yards of offense. Notre Dame Quarterback Ian Book became very familiar with the Tiger defenders who missed the previous matchup, as the Clemson defense recorded six sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Clemson will not travel back to the friendly confines of the Allen N. Reeves Football Facility where they will wait to find their fate and where they will play in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. The Tigers will most likely end up traveling to Pasadena, California for the Rose Bowl. The College Football Playoff Selection Show is set for 12 P.M. tomorrow Sunday, December 20th.
