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SPORTS Wednesday 15 January 2020
Deep and relentless: LSU wears Clemson out in title tilt

By BRETT MARTEL to its level of competition
AP Sports Writer in the Southeastern Con-
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Clyde ference and College Foot-
Edwards-Helaire took turns ball Playoff, puts the Bayou
dancing around defend- Bengals' offense in rarefied
ers or churning his legs as air.
he pushed his compact After his 227 yards and four
frame through tacklers for TD's receiving against Okla-
extra yards and pivotal first homa, Jefferson found him-
downs. self double-covered early
Thaddeus Moss was a pro- by Clemson.
ductive red-zone target, But as the game wore on,
catching two short touch- he kept drives going with
down passes. And Terrace nine catches for 106 yards
Marshall Jr. made his last of as LSU took command.
three catches count, rising "We just know what we
up in tight coverage for a got to do and we came
touchdown catch that put out with the victory. It
Clemson in a three-score feels great," Jefferson said.
hole. "They've been hyping up
Once the greatest offense their corners, so we knew
in LSU history got rolling, it they were going to try to
became apparent that LSU quarterback Joe Burrow holds the trophy after their win against Clemson in a NCAA College (use) press-man (cover-
Clemson's defense had far Football Playoff national championship game Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in New Orleans. LSU won age) the whole game and
more to worry about than 42-25. we're going out there trying
Heisman Trophy-winning Associated Press to expose people."
quarterback Joe Burrow other Clemson opponent over Oklahoma, gained He's got great balance. Marshall was quiet most
and Biletnikoff-winning re- had gained. 164 yards from scrimmage He's got a great trunk. of the game, but his 24-
ceiver Ja'Marr Chase. "It's been like that the en- with his combination of elu- "He's going to go down as yard touchdown early in
The shifty, powerful Ed- tire year," Edwards-Helaire siveness and feet-churning one of the greatest Tigers the fourth quarter was the
wards-Helaire, Moss, Mar- said. "Once somebody is power. ever." beginning of the end for
shall and fellow receiver shut down or locked up or Fittingly, his 14-yard catch- Moss, son of Hall-of-Fame Clemson.
Justin Jefferson all contrib- that's the key to their suc- and-run on fourth-and-3 receiver Randy Moss, said "It took him a while to get
uted in ways that made cess on defense, to shut allowed LSU to run out the he felt like he was going to going, but he made the
it virtually impossible for somebody down, it only clock without giving the catch anything thrown his championship play," Bur-
Clemson's defense to hold opens the lanes for every- ball back to Clemson in the way. row said. "I couldn't be
up. In the end, they were body else. final four minutes. "I was in the zone tonight," happier for that guy. He's
worn out, giving up 19 more "A blade with five blades "He is the heart of our team. Moss said. "We're the best worked harder than any-
points than they'd allowed connected to it," Edwards- Man, he's tough, and he offense in college football body on this team, and he's
in a game all season. Helaire said. "That's how I (plays like) 6-4, 270," LSU history." worked on his craft for a
No. 1 LSU also finished with describe this offense." coach Ed Orgeron said. The numbers back him up. long time. Five-star coming
628 yards of offense in its 42- The 5-foot-8, 209-pound Ed- "I'm glad he was healthy. LSU (15-0) finished the sea- in, had some bumps in the
25 national championship wards-Helaire, who'd been Those runs he made at the son averaging 568.4 yards road, and for him to make
triumph on Monday night limited by a hamstring in- end of the game were very and 48.4 points per game that play, I'm so happy for
— 112 more yards than any jury in the semifinal win critical. He's hard to tackle. this season, which, relative him."q
Champs! LSU finishes No. 1 in

AP Top 25 for third time

By RALPH D. RUSSO the top 10 at the time of The Tigers also won AP titles
AP College Football Writer the game. Miami in 1987 in 2007 and 1958.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LSU and Alabama in 2015 each Georgia, LSU's Southeast-
finished No. 1 in the AP beat five teams ranked in ern Conference rival, was
Top 25 for the third time in the top 10 at the time of fourth and Pac-12 champi-
school history, with Clem- their games. on Oregon was fifth. Florida
son No. 2 and Ohio State LSU also did it impressively: was sixth and Oklahoma,
No. 3. The Tigers beat teams that which made the playoff,
The Tigers (15-0) beat were ranked 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 was seventh.
Clemson 42-25 in the na- in the final Top 25 by an av- Alabama finished eighth,
tional championship game erage margin of 20 points. its lowest final ranking since LSU celebrates after their win against Clemson in a NCAA
Monday night and then "Now I think that this team is 2010, giving the SEC four of College Football Playoff national championship game Monday,
received all 62 first-place going to be mentioned as the top 10. It's the fifth time Jan. 13, 2020, in New Orleans.
votes from the media pan- one of the greatest teams one conference has had Associated Press
el in the season's final Top in college football history," four teams in the final top
25 presented by Regions LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. 10, and fourth for the SEC. Air Force was ranked No. ican Athletic Conference
Bank. "15-0, one of the greatest No. 9 Penn State and No. 22, marking the first time schools in the final rankings,
LSU was No. 1 for the final teams in LSU history, led by 10 Minnesota gave the Big two service academies a new high for the confer-
eight weeks of the season some of the greatest play- Ten three teams in the top were in the final AP poll of ence. Memphis was 17th,
and set a record by beat- ers. Give them all the cred- 10. the season since 1958. Cincinnati 21st and UCF
ing seven teams ranked in it." Navy finished No. 20 and Navy was one of four Amer- 24th.q