This was a series I was going to work on in May, but the off-season started earlier than we wanted.
#StayHealthy and practice social distancing.
Games 1 – 5 | Games 11 – 15 | Games 16 – 20 | Games 21 – 25 | Games 26 – 30 | Games 31 – 35 | Games 36 – 40 | Games 40 – 45 | Games 46 – 50
6. #3 Clemson 29 Ohio State 23 – December 29, 2019
In a game that became an instant playoff classic, Clemson defeated arguably the best most talented team of the playoff era not to play in the national championship game in the 13-0 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes went through their entire schedule winning every game by double digits, and even held an early 16-0 lead against Clemson. It wasn’t enough, as Clemson outscored the Buckeye 29-7 the rest of the way. The Tigers again proved by the end of the decade they had few peers in College Football. Ohio State still has never beat Clemson in a football game.
7. #1 Clemson 37 #4 Oklahoma 17 – December 31, 2015
It was a bit surprising that coming into this Orange Bowl National Semi-Final game, that 13-0 Clemson was an underdog to Oklahoma. Those of us that followed Clemson, knew the Tigers were very good, but after this thrashing of the Sooners the rest of the country knew too. The win propelled the Tigers into the National Title Game against Alabama, and gave the ACC it’s second National Title participant in three years.
8. #12 Georgia Tech 49 #7 Mississippi St. 34 – December 31, 2014
This game was significant in so many ways. It proved Paul Johnson’s Triple Option could succeed even if the opponent had weeks to prepare, and it lifted Georgia Tech to a top 10 finish in the 2014 season. The win was part of a series of SEC West losses where each ranked SEC West team lost it’s bowl game proving the best football teams in the country could now play and defeat the best teams the SEC had to offer. Mississippi State spent several weeks ranked #1, but were no match for the Yellow Jackets in this Orange Bowl game. This Georgia Tech team was the best non-FSU/Clemson ACC team of the decade.
9. #2 Clemson 30 #3 Notre Dame 3 – December 29, 2018
This game was supposed to be the return of Notre Dame to elite status. The Clemson Tigers made sure that didn’t happen. Clemson treated a #3 ranked Irish team like they were a directional state school in this semi-final playoff game. It was a 27 point win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Clemson could have named the score in this one, and announced they would be ready to take on the media anointed greatest team in history the 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide in the National Title game..
10. #11 Florida State 33 #6 Michigan 32 – December 30, 2016
Michigan spent most of the year as a playoff contender, while especially early in the year a few questions were starting to be asked about the direction of the FSU program. The Noles finished the year with a flourish winning 7 of their last 8 games. The Big 10 was considered college football’s top conference – before bowl season, and this one of the wins that lifted the ACC to #1 by season’s end. The Noles finished in the top 10, and would start 2017 as one of the favorites to win the national title. It was the ACC’s 5th straight Orange Bowl win.
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