FULL TIME
Clemson vs. LSU: LIVE Stream and Score Updates (25-42)
Thank you for following along here on VAVEL. The recap of the game will be up shortly. This is Thomas Cluck saying so long!
42-25 LSU- Final
It's official! The storybook, dream season for the number one LSU Tigers are complete, going 15-0 to dethrone the defending national champions Clemson Tigers and win the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game 42-25 to win their first national championship title since 2007 almost at home in their home state in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow and head coach Ed Orgeron.
Fumble- Clemson
Big hit from LSU star safety Grant Delpit on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence forces him to lose the ball and fumble it.
42-25 LSU
LSU may have just landed the knockout punch on Clemson with a brilliant 24-yard touchdown pass, a dime from QB Joe Burrow to wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. to stretch the lead!
That's the end of the third quarter here in New Orleans, Louisiana with LSU leading Clemson 35-25. Fourth quarter from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome coming up next.
Injury Update- Clemson
Star wide receiver Tee Higgins has returned to the game from the locker room for Clemson.
Also, defensive coordinator Brent Venables' son, Jake Venables, is in at linebacker for James Skalski.
35-25 LSU
Big play for LSU to get a much-needed touchdown on a four-yard Burrow pass to tight end Thaddeus Moss to extend the lead.
Targeting- Clemson
Massive, controversial targeting call on Clemson's leading linebacker James Skalski results in a 15-yard penalty and Skalski's ejection, a huge loss for Clemson.
Injury Update- Clemson
Clemson star wide receiver Tee Higgins has left the field and gone to the locker room after a hard hit on a catch by an LSU defender.
28-25 LSU
Some costly penalties from LSU and smart play-calling from Clemson results in a very important touchdown drive led by running back Travis Etienne who punches it in three yards on a running touchdown.
Clemson elects to go for two and Trevor Lawrence passes it to Amari Rodgers for the two-point conversion to bring it to a three point game!
Injury Update- LSU
Safety Grant Delpit is in the game to start the second half.
Injury Update- LSU
ESPN's Tom Rinaldi reports that star safety Grant Delpit left the game and went to the locker room midway through the first half and has not returned since.
The second half is underway and LSU receives the ball and begins on offense!
That concludes the first half of football here in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana!
LSU will receive the ball first to start the next half.
28-17 LSU
Massive response again from LSU on a crucial end-of-half drive as QB Joe Burrow runs it to get the first down before hanging in to throw a six-yard touchdown to Thaddeus Moss.
21-17 LSU
LSU takes the lead off a great route from WR Ja'Marr Chase for a 14-yard touchdown pass from Burrow! York's PAT is good.
17-14 Clemson
LSU comes up clutch with a huge third-down conversion in the red zone, letting QB Joe Burrow keep it on the quarterback run for a three-yard touchdown! Kicker Cade York slides the extra point in.
17-7 Clemson
Perfectly-executed trick play from running back CJ Dixon on a run tossing to wide receiver Tee Higgins for a huge 36-yard touchdown! QB Trevor Lawrence threw a nice block to allow the play to set up.
10-7 Clemson
Big leg shown from Clemson kicker BT Potter to squeeze it in 52 yards for a field goal to re-gain the lead.
That's the end of the first quarter here in New Orleans, with Clemson and LSU tied at 7-7.
Quarter two from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome coming up next.
7-7
MASSIVE response from LSU to get on the board with a huge 52-yard bullet from Joe Burrow to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase for a touchdown to tie!
7-0 Clemson
Brilliant drive from Clemson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence runs it in to the end zone for the touchdown to grab the early lead!
And the opening kick is off and underway!
LSU won the toss and chose to receive. Clemson will get the ball first.
Clemson and LSU have walked out onto the field and the pre-game coin flip is coming up soon.
The National Anthem is underway by Lauren Daigle and US President Donald Trump is here.
No number one seed in the College Football Playoff era has ever won the national championship title. Will LSU be the first?
No one is picking Clemson and they are over five point underdogs to LSU. Dabo Swiney loves having a team with a chip on their shoulder as Lil' Ol' Clemon on the ROY Bus and he'll have that tonight.
Even worse crowd than expected for Clemson, LSU dominating in a virtual home game!
The stadium has already filled in. Confident calling the crowd 75-25 LSU. And it's loud.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) January 14, 2020
Another interesting factor in this game will be the two coaches. Both the Bayou Bengals' Ed Oregon and Clemson's Dabo Swinney are uniquely themselves and own energetic, gregarious, fun personalities that their teams emulate.
The Scene is Set pic.twitter.com/BJFC3R8Pci
— Derek Volner (@DerekVolner) January 13, 2020
Looking real good, @MBSuperdome. #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/135CG7B6ep
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) January 13, 2020
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 13, 2020
It's here. pic.twitter.com/w9aspYF4Gy
— Brody Miller (@BrodyAMiller) January 13, 2020
I like to arrive early. pic.twitter.com/qpycg0j7U8
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) January 13, 2020
This Place Will Be Rocking Monday pic.twitter.com/tVlvHhuPbI
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2020
Feels Like Home #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/QkoNZnQlSf
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2020
Mean. Tough. Nasty. pic.twitter.com/1oV2p4vEUS
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2020
Ice In His Veins. He’s Comin’. pic.twitter.com/LNOy8uUH14
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2020
Locked In pic.twitter.com/fzXXwc3nZR
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 14, 2020
#ALLIN at the #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/ULWQpSxsUG
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 13, 2020
The POWER of the PAW #ClemsonFamily, don't take this for granted — these are special times! Tonight, we play in our fourth #NationalChampionship in the last five years!
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 13, 2020
🐅 What a time to be a Tiger! 🐾#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/ujMPOHzWrn
4️⃣ hours.#ALLIN | #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/mriRmyQAdy
— Clemson Athletics (@ClemsonTigers) January 13, 2020
Set the scene.#NationalChampionship || #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/oPcvZ2MZ29
— Clemson Athletics (@ClemsonTigers) January 13, 2020
Only one more sleep until the National Championship.
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 13, 2020
We're ready. Are you?#CFBPlayoff x #NationalChampionship #GeauxTigers x #ALLIN @LSUsports @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/CUR3JzMpNT
.@LSUfootball's dress code for the evening.#CFBPlayoff x #NationalChampionship #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/BjskphFfcm
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 13, 2020
.@ClemsonFB's threads for game No. 15.#CFBPlayoff x #NationalChampionship #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/6Hlic6vob4
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 13, 2020
Pre-game warmups are underway on the field.
We are here inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the number three Clemson Tigers and the number one LSU Tigers!
Check back here before game time for pre-game updates, news and notes, warm ups, and more live from New Orleans, Louisiana!
Do not miss a detail of the game with the with VAVEL. Follow along with us all the details, commentaries, analysis and rosters for this Clemson vs. LSU game.
LSU: Team news
It's been a season of destiny so far for the top-ranked LSU Tigers and head coach Ed Orgeron's squad will look to finish it off in storybook fashion at home in Louisiana. The LSU offense has been revolutionized under offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, who has lived through remarkable tragedy with the passing of his daughter-in-law Carley McCord in a plane crash in Lafayette, Louisiana hours before their semifinal on the way to Atlanta, and New Orleans Saints guru Joe Brady, LSU's passing game coordinator.
The Tigers dominated their semifinal against the number four Oklahoma Sooners in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia and have been that flashy and impressive all season. The health of dynamic and versatile running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire should be followed as he sustained a hamstring injury on a non-contact play in practice leading up to the semifinal and was rarely used in the blowout of OU, but it's unclear whether that was because of the dominant LSU lead or physical issues.
LSU's defense has improved over the season and their own guru defensive coordinator Dave Aranda could cause Clemson fits. Watch out for linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson as a possible game-changer with his athletic play all over the field.
Clemson Tigers: Team news
Clemson comes into the national championship with an uber-confident team that has not lost in over two years, truly knowing how to win the biggest games, and most importantly not knowing how to lose. Head coach Dabo Swinney and vaunted defensive coordinator Brent Venables have been nearly unstoppable in big games and will look to continue that in this game to win their third national championship in four years.
Following a hard-fought, gutsy win over number two Ohio State Buckeyes two weeks ago in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Clemson will look to continue their gutsy play in the biggest games with another big performance from Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, who's respective surprise running and passing performances changed the game for Clemson.
Two x-factors for Clemson could be the health of star wide receivers Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross who were both banged up in the semifinal, and the performance of safety K'Von Wallace who enjoyed a big game in last year's national championship win over Alabama at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
What to expect today?
The 2019 college football season culminates in 2020 with the crowning of a national champion at the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana between the number three defending national champions Clemson Tigers of the ACC and the number one LSU Tigers of the SEC.
LSU comes into New Orleans with a massive home-field advantage just down the road an hour from their campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and with good vibes in their home state in the Superdome, having won all three of their national championship titles, including their two most recent in 2003 and 2007, inside the Superdome in NOLA. Clemson's star running back Travis Etienne has a home-field advantage as well as he grew up two hours from New Orleans in Jennings, Louisiana, making this a huge night for him.
The Big Easy will be the home to the battle of the Tigers, with Clemson and sophomore star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the likely number one pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, facing LSU and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, the consensus number one draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Both Tigers also call their stadiums Death Valley, one historically named Death Valley at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, the other nicknamed Death Valley due to its defeaning noise at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Additionally, both teams come into the natty with undefeated 14-0 records and Clemson looks to make it two straight undefeated, national championship seasons and extend their winning streak to 30 games, with their last loss coming in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the AllState Sugar Bowl inside the Superdome in New Orleans to the eventual national champions Alabama Crimson Tide.
LSU's last national championship game appearance came in 2011 inside the Superdome, an embarrassing 21-0 loss to archivals Alabama that ushered in the College Football Playoff era from the BCS.
How to watch Clemson vs. LSU Live TV and Stream
If you want to watch the game on TV, your options are: ESPN to broadcast.
If you want to directly stream it: Watch ESPN.
If you want to watch in on internet, VAVEL USA is your best option!
The Clemson vs. LSU game will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The kick-off is scheduled at 8 PM ET.
LSU's Twitter account has also shared motivational video package for this game!
Victory for LSU!
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2020
One More Time pic.twitter.com/D7LJh9UmUJ
The Clemson Tigers are eager to defend their title tonight!
Only ☝️🤚 more hours...#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/9rCEC9QOUb
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 13, 2020
How to watch Clemson Tigers vs LSU Tigers Live TV and Stream
If you want to watch the game on TV, ESPN will broadcast.
If you want to watch in on internet, VAVEL USA is your best option!
The Clemson Tigers arrive as the defending champions having defeated Alabama in the 2019 CFP National Championship 44-16 at Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium.
This will be LSU's first appearance in a CFP National Championship game as it is now known.
Their last national championship game was a losing effort to Alabama in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.
LSU's Joe Burrow and New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees finally met this week prior to the game.
'I was a Saints fan because of you', said Burrow to the historic NFL QB.
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans was announced as the host venue for this College Football National Championship on November 4, 2015.
The stadium which holds up to 76,468 fans for football matches is expected to be at capacity for tonight's game.
Both teams enter the bowl with 14–0 undefeated record.
The winning team's 15–0 record will match that of the 2018 Clemson Tigers. This will be only the second time since 1987 that a team finishes with such single season record.
Clemson had a closer semifinal against Ohio State.
The Tigers bested the Buckeyes with a score of 29-23 in the Fiesta Bowl at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
LSU crushed Oklahoma to reach the National Championship Game.
Their clash ended in a 63-28 win for the Tigers in the Peach Bowl on December 28th at the Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Welcome to VAVEL.com’s coverage of the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game: Clemson Tigers vs. LSU Tigers!
My name is Thomas Cluck and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with all the information on VAVEL.