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2018 Sugar Bowl

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2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl
CFP Semifinal
84th Sugar Bowl
1234 Total
Alabama 100140 24
Clemson 0330 6
DateJanuary 1[1], 2018
Season2017
StadiumMercedes-Benz Superdome
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana, US
MVPJalen Hurts, QB (Offensive)
Daron Payne, DT (Defensive)
FavoriteAlabama by 3.5
RefereeLand Clark (Pac-12)
Halftime showMillion Dollar Band (Alabama)
Clemson Tiger Marching Band (Clemson)
Attendance72,360[2]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN, ESPN Deportes
AnnouncersJoe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe, and Laura Rutledge (ESPN)
Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio)
Nielsen ratings11.5 (21.6 million viewers)
Sugar Bowl
 < 2017  2019
1 vs. 4 Seed CFP Semifinal Game
 < 2016 Peach 2018 Orange

The 2018 Sugar Bowl was a College Football Playoff semifinal bowl game that was played on January 1, 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The 84th Sugar Bowl game, it matched two of the top four teams selected by the Selection Committee-Alabama from the SEC and Clemson from the ACC to compete to face the winner of the Rose Bowl (Georgia) in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship played on January 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games that concluded the 2017 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Allstate insurance company, the game is officially known as the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The contest was televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio and XM Satellite Radio, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET).

Teams

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The #1-ranked Clemson Tigers, champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference, faced the #4-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, co-champions of the SEC West Division (along with Auburn who won head-to-head over Alabama.) This was the third consecutive year in which Clemson and Alabama met in the CFPs, though the previous two meetings were in the CFP Championship Game.

See also

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Notes

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This was Alabama's first Sugar Bowl win of the Nick Saban era. This was also their first win in a Sugar bowl since 1993 against Miami. The Tide had lost games in the 2008–2009, 2013–2014, and 2014–2015 football/bowl seasons. This was also the first win for the Southeastern Conference in the Sugar Bowl since 2010 (Ole Miss has to vacate a win over Oklahoma State), including losses to Louisville, Oklahoma (twice) and Ohio State (twice).

Game summary

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The Crimson Tide immediately took a 10–3 lead at halftime. Alex Spence was the only player to score for the Clemson Tigers with just two field goals. Alabama's defense was a huge factor in the game holding the Tigers to only six points. This matchup was a rematch of the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship in which the Tigers won with quarterback Deshaun Watson leading the team as the game's MVP. The Tigers were not able to perform without Watson and with Kelly Bryant.

Scoring summary

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College Football Playoff Semifinal at the 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 4 Alabama 10 0 14024
No. 1 Clemson 0 3 306

at Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP BAMA CLEM
1 5:23 10 47 5:24 BAMA 24-yard field goal by Andy Pappanastos 3 0
1 0:12 8 46 3:34 BAMA Calvin Ridley 12-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Hurts, Andy Pappanastos kick good 10 0
2 10:00 13 54 5:03 CLEM 44-yard field goal by Alex Spence 10 3
3 12:45 4 5 2:03 CLEM 42-yard field goal by Alex Spence 10 6
3 5:40 7 27 3:38 BAMA Daron Payne 1-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Hurts, Andy Pappanastos kick good 17 6
3 5:27 BAMA Interception returned 18 yards for touchdown by Mack Wilson, Andy Pappanastos kick good 24 6
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. - -

Statistics

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1 2 3 4 Total
No. 4 Crimson Tide 10 0 14 0 24
No. 1 Tigers 0 3 3 0 6
Statistics BAMA CLEM
First downs 16 14
Plays–yards 66–261 70–188
Rushes–yards 42–141 33–64
Passing yards 120 124
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 141 64
Time of possession 32:11 27:49
Team Category Player Statistics
BAMA Passing Jalen Hurts 16/24, 120 yds, 2 TD
Rushing Damien Harris 19 car, 77 yds
Receiving Calvin Ridley 4 rec, 39 yds, 1 TD
CLEM Passing Kelly Bryant 18/36, 124 yds, 2 INT
Rushing Travis Etienne 4 car, 22 yds
Receiving Deon Cain 6 rec, 75 yds

References

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  1. ^ "ESPN's Industry-Leading 2017–18 College Football Bowl Schedule – ESPN MediaZone". espnmediazone.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. ^ "ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL – CFP SEMIFINAL". espn.com. Retrieved January 3, 2018.