Three Clemson games make ESPN's best of the 2023 college football season |
ESPN ranked the Top 100 games
of the 2023 college football season, where a couple of games are memorable for the wrong reasons on the Tigers' side.
Clemson began the 2023 campaign ranked No. 9 and finished No. 20 (AP), with a couple of overtime heartbreakers aiding in that drop. The 28-20 defeat at Miami and the 31-24 loss at home to Florida State checked in at No. 75 and No. 74 on the list, respectively. "Returns have diminished a bit for Clemson over the past few seasons -- in the past three years, the Tigers have scored only one ACC title and no CFP bids -- but it's still a pretty big deal to beat them," ESPN's Bill Connelly said. "And it took overtime for FSU and Miami to get the job done. Against the Seminoles, the Tigers were dealt tough blows from a 56-yard Kalen DeLoach fumble return for a touchdown and their own late-game conservatism (and a missed 29-yard field goal). A 24-yard Keon Coleman touchdown and a turnover on downs in overtime sealed an FSU win. "A month later, the Tigers let Miami off the hook, too. Playing without quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (and reeling from two straight losses), the Hurricanes overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit with an 11-yard Colbie Young score and a late Andres Borregales field goal. In the second overtime, Ajay Allen scored both six and two points, and Corey Flagg Jr. stuffed Klubnik in the open field on fourth-and-goal for a season-saving win." A Clemson win did make the list, however, with the Gator Bowl victory over Kentucky, 38-35, at No. 72. "After a 4-4 start, Clemson ended the year with five straight wins, the fifth of which required all sorts of fourth-quarter heroics. Phil Mafah ran for three of his four touchdowns in the final 15 minutes as Clemson turned a 21-10 deficit into a 27-21 advantage, lost the lead twice, then took it for good on Mafah's three-yard plunge with 17 seconds left," Connelly said. No. 1 on the list was Alabama's fourth-and-goal conversion from the 31 to avoid a rivalry loss to Auburn and keep its Playoff hopes alive.
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