the last time clemson won the national championship was 2011.
when was the last time clemson won the national championship?
2011
with the huge win, the buckeyes advanced to their first national championship game since 2007, and played the rose bowl champion oregon ducks, whom they defeated 42-20 for their 8th national championship. this was ohio state's first win over alabama in 4 tries. they had been 0-3 in the other games played between the teams. the loss by alabama was the southeastern conference's second straight loss in a major bowl game to the buckeyes, along with arkansas's loss in the 2011 sugar bowl. alabama's loss meant that 2015 was the first national championship to not feature an sec team since 2005, when usc and texas played in that season's rose bowl. the loss also assured the crimson tide a second straight season without appearing in the national championship, the first time that alabama has missed the national championship in back to back seasons since 2007 and 2008. ohio state's 15-point comeback over the tide is the largest ever comeback against a nick saban-led team in a bowl game and the 2nd largest comeback against the crimson tide under saban all time, with the largest being auburn's 24-0 comeback in 2010. the loss by alabama also dropped them to 0-3 under saban in sugar bowls. however, they would eventually win a sugar bowl in 2018, beating clemson 24-6. this was the 3rd time in the saban era that alabama had blown a lead of 14 or more points, with each of the other losses to auburn in 2010 and 2013. alabama would return to the playoffs the next year, and would win the cotton bowl over another big 10 team, michigan state, 38-0, and championship over clemson, 45-40. as of 2019, alabama has appeared in the playoffs in each season since it's existence, and has been to 4 national championships, winning 2 and losing 2. ohio state would return to the playoffs again in 2016, but they would lose to clemson 31-0 in the fiesta bowl. as of 2019, this remains the last time that these 2 teams have met. no future regular season meetings are scheduled and they haven't met in a bowl game since this one.
2015 sugar bowl
clemson db terry kinard is the only clemson player to be a unanimous all-america pick. he was the first two-time clemson all-american defensive back and a first-team ap all-american two years in a row, the only clemson player to accomplish that. kinard was named the cbs national defensive player-of-the-year for the 1982 season and was chosen to the usa today all-college football team in the 1980s. kinard was a two-year member of the all-acc team. he is the all-time clemson leader in interceptions with 17, a mark that tied the 20-year-old acc record. he also holds the clemson record for tackles by a defensive back with 294 in his career. after leaving clemson kinard was a first-round pick of the new york giants in 1983, and was the 10th pick overall in the draft. sports illustrated named him to college football's centennial team in 1999. he played with super bowl champion new york giants in 1986 and was with the club from 1983 until 1989. kinard played in the 1988 pro bowl game. kinard played with houston oilers in 1990. he was named to clemson's centennial team in april 1996. he ranks as clemson's #3 football player of all-time was inducted into the college football hall of fame in december 2001. he was inducted into clemson hall of fame in 1992 and the ring of honor in 2001. he was also inducted into the state of south carolina hall of fame in 2002.
1981 clemson tigers football team