Surprise! Clemson Candidates Set for Big-Game Breakouts in Sugar Bowl

Who from Clemson will leave an unexpected mark on the Sugar Bowl semifinal for the No. 2 Tigers when they play No. 2 Ohio State on Friday?

The big stage isn't just for stars like Trevor Lawrence or Travis Etienne.

Clemson's previous five years of College Football Playoff experience bear that out. Sometimes, unexpected players make unexpected plays. It's Fuller's 30-yard touchdown catch against Ohio State in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

It's Christian Wilkins catching a pass from a punter on a trick play that sparked his team against Oklahoma in the 2015 Orange Bowl or Justy Ross catching 148 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame in the 2018 Cotton Bowl as a true freshman. 

There's an opportunity for every player on the field to make an impact. Look at how many Super Bowl MVP winners were barely talked about heading into the biggest game of the year. 

Who will leave an unexpected mark on the Sugar Bowl semifinal for the No. 2 Tigers when they play No. 2 Ohio State on Friday? Here's a look at a few candidates flying under the radar: 

E.J. Williams: The parallels are striking. This freshman went to the same high school as Ross and could every bit be included in the game plan the way Ross was against the Irish a couple of years ago. Williams has slowly come along this season, racking up 80 of his 261 receiving yards in the ACC Championship Game earlier this month. He's built a trust factor with Lawrence and has shown the ability to make Tee Higgins-like catches along the sideline. It wouldn't be a huge shocker if Williams makes multiple game-changing plays against a vulnerable Ohio State secondary. 

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Myles Murphy: Another first-year player, Murphy has had a tremendous season that went mostly unnoticed. He was left off All-ACC teams despite leading the Tigers in tackles for a loss (10) and tied for the lead in sacks (4). Maybe that will motivate the talented defensive end to prove something and create tons of havoc in the OSU backfield to get folks to remember his name. Potentially without Xavier Thomas, who missed the last game, it might be extremely needed as well. 

Trenton Simpson: Sticking with the freshmen theme, Simpson has had a stellar second half of the season as he's become a versatile chess piece for defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Simpson's tied with Murphy in sacks and has played closer to the line of scrimmage lately, giving offenses a fast, physical linebacker to have to pick up against the run and the pass. Simpson could be in line for a takedown or two of Justin Fields, and if he can get into the backfield to disrupt the OSU run game, he could make quite a name for himself with a big game. 

Joseph Charleston: With safety Nolan Turner out for the first half following a targeting penalty in the ACC title game, somebody is going to have to step up and make some plays until last year's Fiesta Bowl hero can get back on the field. Enter Charleston, who's played 432 snaps this season. That basically makes him a veteran, and Charleston has the ability to do something memorable in the secondary.

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Chez Mellusi: Somebody has to backup Etienne in this game. Lyn-J Dixon didn't play a couple of weeks against Notre Dame, and his status for Friday is unknown. That opens the door for Mellusi, a sophomore who rushed for 44 yards against Virginia Tech earlier this month before catching two passes for 31 yards against the Irish. Like Fuller in 2016, Mellusi could be the surprise player of the game when he spells Etienne with fresh legs.

D.J. Uiagalelei: This is a little bit of a wild card who has certainly impacted his team already this year, and the only reason the freshman QB is flying under the radar is that he hasn't been needed since Lawrence returned from COVID-19. But Clemson likes to get creative in the postseason, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if there's a package for Uiagalelei that's used to catch Ohio State off guard. Everyone knows he's capable of making plays when the ball is in his hands.