The Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers are playing on the NCAA college football bowl schedule and the Russell Athletic Bowl game from the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando starts on ESPN and the WatchESPN website at 5:30 pm ET as the Big 12 and ACC teams face off with OU coming in unranked and Clemson at number 17 in the nation.
Both teams had high expectations this season and now they will play against each other in the postseason and this could be one of the top matchups. Trevor Knight may be able to return for the Sooners in time for this game and it comes as he led the team in passing this season. Sooners running back Samaje Perine has been very good this year and he will be the main player to watch for Clemson, who comes in dealing with a number of injuries.
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is dealing with a knee injury and had surgery and he will be out for this game while quarterback Cole Stoudt takes over. Watson had a strong year when he played, putting up 14 touchdowns and completing over 67 percent of his passes, but now the team will have to deal with Oklahoma without him. The Tigers are in solid position to win at least 10 games for the fourth straight season and that has not happened in a couple of decades for the school.
Oklahoma had some question marks coming in, but it looks like Perine, quarterback Trevor Knight and receiver Sterling Shepard, who is leading the team in yards and catches, all should play. Bob Stoops said that all three looked good in the lead up to the game and that could put them in position to win this game. Oklahoma struggled against the top teams this year, losing all three matchups against top 25 opponents despite being number four to start the preseason poll.
Perine led the team with over 1500 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and he ended up as an all-conference selection in the Big 12. Perine ended up ranked eighth overall in the FBS in rushing and he will be the center of the offense for Oklahoma. Oklahoma comes into the game ranked 11th in the nation in scoring and ninth in rushing yards per game and the Sooners offense matched with the Clemson defense could be what decides this game on Monday night. The defense is allowing 24 points per game and they come in after going just 5-4 in the conference.
Clemson comes in after a win against South Carolina to end the season and now they are 9-3 on the season and they went 6-2 within the ACC. The team also lost all three matchups they had with top 25 teams, including an overtime game to Florida State that basically was a giveaway by refs to FSU and now they can end the season on a high note. The team ranked sixth in points per game allowed this season and that is the biggest advantage for Clemson in this matchup.
Check here for the Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers live coverage.
