Official Sugar Bowl Postgame Notes

Here are the notes from the Sugar Bowl Communications team, which included several record-breaking performances in one of the most storied bowl games in college football.

Here are the official Allstate Sugar Bowl Postgame Notes, courtesy of the Sugar Bowl Communications Team:

Ohio State’s Justin Fields set an Allstate Sugar Bowl record with six touchdown passes, including four in the first half. Four others had previously passed for four scores in a Sugar Bowl game, with the last being Chad Kelly of Ole Miss in 2016. The six touchdowns also ranks as the second-most in a New Year’s Six game behind Joe Burrow’s seven for LSU vs. Oklahoma in the 12-28-19 Peach Bowl.

Fields’ 427 total yards (385 passing, 42 rushing) ties LSU’s Rohan Davey for the second-highest total in Sugar Bowl history and also is the second-highest mark outright in a Playoff Semifinal game behind Joe Burrow’s 514-yard total for LSU in the 12-28-19 Peach Bowl.

The 385 passing yards by Fields ranks as the second-most in a Playoff Semifinal behind Burrow’s 493 yards in the 12-28-19 Peach Bowl. It’s also the fifth-highest total in a Sugar Bowl.

Buckeye Offense Ranks on Multiple Sugar Bowl Lists

Ohio State’s 7 touchdowns scored ties for the most in a Sugar Bowl with LSU (vs. Illinois in 2002) and Florida (vs. Cincinnati in 2010). The 49 points is the third-most in Sugar Bowl history. Florida scored 52 points vs. Florida State in 1997, and the Gators tallied 51 vs. Cincinnati in 2010 as the only two higher totals.

The Buckeyes’ 639 total yards ranks second of the 87 Sugar Bowls behind Florida’s 659 yards vs Cincinnati in 2010. The total yardage also ties for the second-most in a New Year’s Six game with Oregon’s 639-yard total vs. Florida State in the 2015 Rose Bowl.

Ohio State’s 8.88 yards per play (639 total yards, 72 plays) ranks as the second-highest average yards per play in a Sugar Bowl or New Year’s Six game. Florida owns the Sugar Bowl mark at 9.41 yards per play vs. Cincinnati in 2010, and LSU owns the New Year’s Six mark (9.35) vs. Oklahoma in last year’s Peach Bowl.

Ohio State’s Sermon on the Sugar Bowl Rushing Lists

The Buckeyes’ Trey Sermon ran for 193 yards, which is the third-highest total in a Playoff Semifinal and fifth-most in both the Sugar Bowl and New Year’s Six game annals. His 31 carries are the most in a New Year’s Six game and the third-most in a Sugar Bowl.

Haubeil Sets PAT Mark

Ohio State’s Blake Haubeil set a Sugar Bowl record for the most extra point kicks made, connecting on all seven attempts. The previous mark was six accomplished by four other kickers. Haubeil’s seven attempts also tied the bowl record.

Offense Early and Often

The 49 combined first-half points is the most in a Sugar Bowl half in New Orleans. West Virginia and Georgia combined for a bowl-record 52 points in the first half of the 2006 game played at the Georgia Dome following Hurricane Katrina.

The 28 combined first-quarter points ties for the second-most in a Sugar Bowl opening quarter. Ohio State led Texas A&M 21-7 after one period in 1999. Tennessee led Air Force 24-7 in 1971 for the highest first-quarter tally.

The 77 combined points by both teams tonight ties the 2015 Ohio State-Alabama tilt (42-35 OSU) for the second-most combined points in Sugar Bowl history. LSU and Illinois combined for 81 points in 2002 (47-34 LSU).

Ohio State (639 yards) and Clemson (444) combined for the most total yards in a Sugar Bowl, surpassing the 1,003 total yards by West Virginia (502) and Georgia (501) in 2006.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence notched the earliest touchdown in a Sugar Bowl (12:10, 1st quarter) since TJ Yeldon’s 1-yard scoring run for Alabama with 13:11 in the opening quarter of the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Lawrence’s was a 2-yard scoring run.

Notable Punt

The 67-yard punt by Ohio State’s Drue Chrisman in the first quarter tied Clemson’s Andy Teasdall (vs. Ohio State, 12-31-16 Fiesta Bowl) for the second-longest in a Playoff Semifinal game and tied him for the third-longest in a New Year’s Six game. It’s the seventh-longest punt in Sugar Bowl history.

Miscellaneous

· Tonight’s Sugar Bowl attendance was 3,000. This marked the lowest Sugar Bowl attendance all time as a cap was set by government officials due to the coronavirus pandemic. While the total crowd was 3,000, it was officially a sell-out as all available tickets were sold. The previous low attendance mark was 28,000 in the inaugural Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1935.

· The first nine scoring drives, and 10 of the 11 overall, covered 75 yards or more. Ohio State recorded 77, 75, 84, 75, 80 and 91-yard touchdown marches. Clemson reached the end zone on drives of 82, 75, 80 and 75 yards.

· Clemson’s 201 total yards in the first half exceeded the Tigers’ game totals in the two prior Sugar Bowl appearances. Clemson tallied 172 yards in the 7-0 loss to LSU in 1959 and 188 yards in a 24-6 loss to Alabama in 2018.

· The Buckeyes now have a 4-2 on-field record in the Sugar Bowl (their 2011 victory over Arkansas was vacated due to NCAA violations). Clemson is now 0-3 in the Sugar Bowl.

· Higher-ranked teams are now 9-5 in College Football Playoff Semifinal history after tonight’s game with three of the upsets coming in the Playoff Semifinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. No. 4 Ohio State def. No. 1 Alabama 42-35 in 2014-15, and No. 4 Alabama def. No. 1 Clemson 24-6 in 2017-18 prior to No. 3 Ohio State’s win tonight.

· Current members of the Big Ten now have a 9-8 record in the Sugar Bowl. ACC teams (by current membership, not including Notre Dame) have posted a 17-14-1 mark.

· Ohio State’s Ryan Day became the 99th different head coach to coach in the Sugar Bowl. Clemson’s Dabo Swinney dropped to 0-2 in the Sugar Bowl, becoming the 26th head coach to make multiple Sugar Bowl appearances.

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