JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—C.J. Spiller sliced between two defenders, crossed the goal line, jumped as high as he could and got both hands on the ball.
A catch would have put Clemson ahead. A drop would have left the Tigers behind.
Spiller thought he had it. So did his teammates, coaches and fans. But Nebraska safety Matt O’Hanlon knocked the third-down pass out of Spiller’s grasp, preserving a 26-21 victory in the Gator Bowl on Thursday and capping the Cornhuskers’ turnaround season.
“I make that play in my sleep,” Spiller said. “We’ve run that play so many times. I just let the team down with that one.”
The Tigers (7-6) probably never should have been so close in a game Nebraska (9-4) dominated much of the afternoon. But despite all Clemson’s problems—seven penalties, five sacks, two interceptions, two failed fourth-down conversions, a blocked field goal, 3-of-16 on third down and just 4 yards rushing—the defense gave the Tigers the only thing they really needed.
“We had a chance to win on the last play,” said coach Dabo Swinney, whose team rebounded from a 3-3 start and the resignation of longtime coach Tommy Bowden to reach the Gator Bowl. “We had a chance to win on the last two plays and didn’t get it done.”
Although Nebraska finished with 361 yards, the Cornhuskers had three turnovers that led to touchdowns and had to settle for four field goals—three of them from inside 30 yards. The result: Clemson had a shot in the closing seconds, and nearly pulled it off.
Following Alex Henery’s fourth field goal, the Tigers advanced to the Nebraska 10 with 1:54 remaining. But Eric Hagg batted down Cullen Harper’s pass on first down and sacked him for a 16-yard loss on the next play.
“You’ve got to get rid of it,” Swinney said. “Just don’t take a sack.”
Harper nearly hooked up with Spiller on third-and-goal from the 26, but O’Hanlon saved the day for the Huskers. Harper misfired on fourth down, and Nebraska simply took a few knees to run out the clock.
“It hurts to lose a game like this because we were so close,” said linebacker DeAndre McDaniel, who returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. “But you have to give Nebraska credit. They got it done when they had to and held on at the end.”
Harper finished 17-of-37 for 206 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Spiller and James Davis, Clemson’s duo known as “Thunder & Lightning,” ran for just 43 yards combined.
“We made too many mistakes, and against a good team like Nebraska, you can’t make mistakes,” said Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford, who caught five passes for 112 yards and a score.
Nebraska was much more efficient on offense.
Joe Ganz bounced back from a horrible first half—he had a fumble returned for a score and an interception that set up another touchdown—threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns and was selected the bowl’s most valuable player. He also shook off a mild concussion during a 20-point third quarter that helped Big Red overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit.
His comeback provided an appropriate ending for Nebraska’s season. After all, the Cornhuskers enjoyed one of college football’s top turnarounds, giving the storied program plenty of optimism following coach Bo Pelini’s first season.
“It’s been a tough 12 months, but there’s been a lot of hard work by a lot of people and it’s paid off,” said Pelini, who replaced fired coach Bill Callahan after Nebraska finished 5-7 in 2007. “Now, we’ve got to keep it going.”
Nebraska won six of its final seven games, including a victory against rival Colorado, and had success in a January bowl game for the first time in nine years.
“We have some momentum going right now,” Pelini said. “People are excited, the kids are excited. It’s starting to show how good they can be as a football team. It’s fun to see.”
