With 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Ohio State regained possession. At the time, the Buckeyes were beating Clemson, 23-21, and had a chance to create separation in the game that decided who would go to New Orleans to face LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 13.

Nine minutes later, with the drive still alive on Clemson’s 39-yard line, the Buckeyes punted. The kick pinned the Tigers back on their own six, but the Buckeyes couldn’t keep them out of the end zone, as quarterback Trevor Lawrence led Clemson 94 yards on four plays for the go-ahead touchdown that led to the team’s 29-23 Peach Bowl victory.

“We finish,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said to reporters after the win, “That’s not just who we are. That’s what we do.”

Regaining possession with 1:49 left, Ohio State hung on until the final play, culminating to Justin Fields’ throw into the end zone. Expecting receiver Chris Olave to head to the middle of the end zone, Fields fired, but was picked off by Nolan Turner with 37 seconds left. Olave altered his route assuming Fields would scramble.

But the Buckeyes’ long, fourth quarter possession where Clemson took advantage of opportunities and Ohio State didn’t was a microcosm for the entire game.

About a third of the way through the third quarter, Clemson’s punt team was on the field, backed up to its own 15-yard line and Ohio State was called for a roughing the kicker penalty, giving the Tigers 15 yards, a first down and most of the momentum.

It was only two plays later when Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne on a 53-yard touchdown pass to gain an 21-16 advantage, but that’s not what Ohio State fans will remember about this one.

Rather, they will remember Jordan Fuller’s scoop and score deep in Clemson territory and how the play was ruled an incomplete pass, not a fumble, upon replay. Had the original call of a fumble and touchdown been upheld, the Buckeyes would have gone ahead, 23-21, late in the third quarter. 

Truth be told, Ohio State lost because it didn’t capitalize on its opportunities. In the first half alone, they had three red zone drives and settled for field goals all three times, not to mention the targeting penalty that resulted in Shaun Wade’s ejection. 

With 4:47 left in the first half, the Ohio State cornerback was ejected for targeting Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the game changed. 

Up until that point, it looked like the Buckeyes would be advancing to the title game. Ahead 16-0, their up-tempo offense was taking a toll on Clemson, and they had the Tigers were in a third-and-15 hole, but suddenly the momentum shifted.

Ohio State’s starting cornerback was out and Clemson was suddenly on the Buckeyes’ 30-yard line. And then two plays later, cornerback Amir Riep was called for defensive pass interference, allowing the Tigers to advance to the 16-yard line and setting up running back Travis Etienne for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 16-7. 

On the ensuing possession, Ohio State tried to revert to the hurry-up offense that helped build its early lead, but went three-and-out in 50 seconds and gave the Tigers the ball back with 1:50 left in the half. 

That’s when Clemson got the play it needed. Lawrence — who had thrown three incompletions in the first four plays of the drive — took off on a second-and-10 play and rushed for a 67-yard touchdown to make it 16-14.

Altogether, the Clemson quarterback was 18-of-33 for 259 yards and two touchdowns. He also totaled 107 rushing yards and that touchdown.