LSU claims 2020 National Championship with 42-25 over Clemson

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVLA/WGMB) — LSU beat Clemson in the 2020 National Championship 42-25. CLICK HERE for a game recap.

GAME BLOG (all times local)

FINAL SCORE: LSU 42, Clemson 25

11:07 p.m. Grant Delpit forces a Trevor Lawrence fumble; it’s recovered by Derek Stingley Jr. LSU takes over with less than 4 minutes to play and a 17-point lead

10:49 p.m. Clemson is forced to punt after Tee Higgins is called for offensive pass interference the Trevor Lawrence is sacked. LSU takes over on their own 10-yard line.

10:38 p.m. Joe Burrow throws his fifth TD pass of the game to Terrace Marshall, Jr., LSU extends its lead to 17 points early in the 4th Quarter.|LSU 42, Clemson 25

END OF THE 3RD QUARTER: LSU 35, CLEMSON 25

10:29 p.m. LSU’s defense responds by forcing a three and out after the missed Cade York FG. LSU gets the ball on their own 43-yard line.

10:26 p.m. Clemson’s offense will take over after LSU misses a 45-yard field goal attempt; LSU is still leading by 10

10:21 p.m. Trevor Lawrence can’t connect on 3rd and 16; Clemson is forced to punt again. LSU takes over on their own 32-yard line after a short return

10:17 p.m. LSU’s Kristian Fulton appears to intercept Trevor Lawrence but is called for pass interference to keep the Clemson drive alive

10:10 p.m. Joe Burrow sets NCAA single-season TD record on pass to TE Thad Moss. It’s his 59th TD pass of the season, breaking the previous record held by Hawaii QB Colt Brennan, which was set in 2006 | LSU 35, Clemson 25

10:09 p.m. Clemson LB James Skalski ejected after being called for targeting on LSU WR Justin Jefferson

10 p.m. Clemson’s drive stalls right around their 30-yard line; they punt back to LSU, who take over on their own 31 yard-line

9:52 LSU goes three and out (again), punts the ball to Clemson, who starts inside their own 20-yard line

9:45 p.m. Two LSU penalties help Clemson drive down the field on their first possession of the 2nd half; Travis Etienne scores from 3 yards out, 2-point conversion is good to cut the LSU lead to 3 | LSU 28, Clemson 25

9:39 p.m. LSU goes three and out after Joe Burrow is sacked on 3rd down

9:37 p.m. Clemson kicks off to LSU to start the 2nd half

HALFTIME: LSU 28, CLEMSON 17

9:09 p.m. LSU drives the length of the field, including two huge 3rd down conversions; Joe Burrow finds Thad Moss for a 6-yard touchdown pass to extend LSU’s lead to 11. LSU has scored 21 straight points. | LSU 28, Clemson 17

8:56 p.m. Glen Logan makes a big tackle for loss on 2nd down, stalling the Clemson drive and forcing a punt. LSU gets the ball back on their own 5 yard-line with 3:30 before halftime

8:48 p.m. LSU’s offense seems to be finding its groove putting together a clinical 87-yard drive capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase. LSU takes the lead for the first time in the game| LSU 21, Clemson 17

8:40 p.m. Clemson drives to the LSU 48-yard line but the Tiger defense steps up to force a Clemson punt; LSU gets the ball back at their own 13-yard line, with just over 7 minutes before halftime

8:33 p.m. LSU capitalizes on the deep pass; Joe Burrow runs for a 3-yard touchdown. LSU cuts the lead to 3 | Clemson 17, LSU 14

8:26 p.m. Joe Burrow hits Ja’Marr Chase on another deep pass; the 56-yard completion brings LSU inside the Clemson 5-yard line

8:22 p.m. Tee Higgins takes a reverse 36 yards for a touchdown; Clemson extends its lead to 10 | Clemson 10, LSU 7

8:18 p.m. LSU’s drive stalls after a big run by Joe Burrow; LSU punts the ball again and it’s downed inside the Clemson 5-yard line

8:11 p.m. LSU’s defense stops Lyn-J Dixon short on 3rd down, forcing a Clemson field goal attempt; it’s good from 52 yards. | Clemson 10, LSU 7

End of the 1st quarter: LSU 7, Clemson 7

7:59 p.m. Joe Burrow goes deep to Ja’Marr Chase for a 52-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. It’s the first time LSU has scored in a National Championship game since 2008. | LSU 7, Clemson 7

7:55 p.m. LSU’s defense responds after the penalty, stopping Clemson on three straight plays and forcing a punt. LSU takes over on their own 30-yard line.

7:54 p.m. LSU call for pass interference gives Clemson the first down

7:52 p.m. LSU picks up their first 1st down of the game, but Clemson forces another punt; Clemson will take over at their own 25-yard line

7:45 p.m. Trevor Lawrence runs for a 1-yard touchdown | Clemson 7, LLSU 0

7:41 p.m. Trevor Lawrence completes pass to Braden Galloway for 42 yards, but Clemson is called for an illegal block, which backs them up 15 yards to LSU’s 40-yard line

7:37 p.m. Joe Burrow completes his first pass of the game, but it’s not enough to get a first down; LSU goes 3 and out (again) and Clemson will take over at their own 32-yard line

7:33 p.m. Clemson goes three and out, punts the ball back to LSU; it’s downed inside the 5-yard line, where LSU’s second possession will begin

7:30 p.m. LSU goes three and out, punts the ball away to Clemson, who takes over on LSU’s 42-yard line

7:27 p.m. LSU’s offense takes over for their first possession at their own 7-yard line

7:22 p.m. Grant Delpit sacks Trevor Lawrence on 3rd down for loss of 10 yards; Clemson will punt after their first possession

7:18 p.m. LSU kicks off the game and Clemson’s offense takes the field

7:15 p.m. LSU wins the toss, defers to the 2nd half and will kickoff the National Championship game

Watch the “Road to the National Championship” pregame show in the player below!

The top-ranked LSU Tigers will face off against No. 3 Clemson for the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship at 7 p.m. CT tonight in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Thirteen years since its last national title in the Bowl Championship Series, LSU is now seeking its first CFP national championship.

Clemson, the defending national champions, are now vying for their third CFP title win in four years, further solidifying their current dynasty.

Both teams are going into the game undefeated (14-0), but it appears LSU has an advantage: Heisman winner Joe Burrow. In the CFP semifinals, Burrow accounted for seven touchdowns (with another score on the ground) when LSU crushed No. 4 Oklahoma, 63-28. But Clemson’s top-ranked defense may just be able to slow down LSU’s offense–something no other team has accomplished this season. Their pass-defense statistics are almost as impressive as Burrow’s numbers. Clemson rose up from a 16-0 deficit to defeat No. 2 Ohio State, 29-23 in the CFP semifinals.

With President Trump among the attendees, security will be heightened around the Superdome and in the Central Business District and French Quarter. This will be his first sporting event of the new year and third of the season. Trump also attended the LSU vs. Bama game in 2019.

What’s going to give when the two Tigers and their coaches, LSU’s Ed Orgeron and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, meet on the field? Which will claw their way to the top?

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