Clemson and Oklahoma to Meet in 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Miami Lakes – The Capital One Orange Bowl will feature Clemson (No. 1) and (Oklahoma No. 4 ) for the 2015 College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinal on December 31, 2015, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., at 4 p.m.
The ACC Champion and No. 1 Clemson Tigers (13-0, 8-0 ACC) set a record for wins in a season with their 13th win in the ACC Championship game over No. 10 North Carolina. Head Coach Dabo Swinney has guided Clemson to one of the best seasons in school history and his Tigers are led by playmakers on both sides of the ball.
The Clemson offense, which ranks 12th in the nation and is averaging 510.6 yards-per-game, is led by ACC Player of the Year Deshaun Watson. Watson, who is a finalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell and Davey O’Brien Awards, led the ACC in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He’s joined in the backfield by second team All-ACC running back Wayne Gallman, who is 14 yards shy of breaking Clemson’s single-season rushing record.
The defense is anchored by Bronko Nagurski and Lombardi Awards finalist Shaq Lawson. His 22.5 tackles-for-loss lead the nation and earned him first team All-ACC honors. He’s one of the main reasons Clemson’s defense ranks seventh in the nation in total defense, as well as second in tackles for loss (108) and fifth in team sacks (38).
The Big 12 Champion and No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) secured their ninth Big 12 Championship in 17 seasons under Head Coach Bob Stoops. Led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Sooners racked up more than 500 yards of total offense in seven straight games to conclude the regular season, outscoring their last seven opponents by an average of 52-19.
Mayfield, a finalist for the Water Camp and Davey O’Brien Awards, powers an Oklahoma offense ranked third in the nation in scoring offense averaging 45.8 points-per-game and seventh in the nation in total offense averaging 542.9 yards-per-game.
On the ground, Mayfield is accompanied by the one-two punch of running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, who have combined for more than 2,000 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, Bob Stoops’ unit is anchored by linebackers Dominque Alexander and Erick Striker. Alexander leads the team in tackles (91) and Striker leads the team in sacks (7.5). Oklahoma’s defense has hauled in 19 interceptions, which ranks seventh in the nation, and boasts a +10 turnover margin.
Oklahoma is making its 20th appearance in the Capital One Orange Bowl, the most of any team in the history of the bowl game.
The Sooners also own Orange Bowl records for most wins by a team (12), consecutive wins (3) and wins in a decade (4). Oklahoma has completed four national championship seasons with a victory in the Orange Bowl.
Clemson is making its sixth Orange Bowl appearance and third in five years. Clemson won its only national title, completing an undefeated 1981 season, in the 1982 Orange Bowl.
The 2015 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl is officially sold out.
