Year-by-Year: 1982
November 24, 1982 10:00 AM
Clemson Perfect In Title Game
Clemson 22
Nebraska 15
Top-ranked Clemson won its first national championship and finished with its third perfect season in its 88-year history with a 22-15 win over Nebraska in the 48th Orange Bowl.
After Clemson took a 22-7 lead into the fourth quarter behind three Donald Igwebuike field goals and a Homer Jordan-to-Perry Tuttle score, Nebraska engineered a final run at the Tigers. A 26-yard touchdown by Roger Craig capped a 69-yard drive and Craig's two-point conversion made it a seven-point game with nine minutes to play.
But the Clemson defense, led by All-American safety Terry Kinard and 295-lb. freshman middle guard William Perry, shut down the Big Red on its final drive and the Tiger offense held the ball for over five minutes as time expired.
Craig and Mike Rozier rushed for 161 of Nebraska's 193 yards. Rozier also passed 25 yards to Anthony Steels for a touchdown.
GAME STATISTICS
  Clemson Nebraska
First Downs 17 13
Rushing Plays 52 40
Rushing Yards 155 193
Passes Attempted 22 17
Passes Completed 11 6
Had Intercepted 1 0
Passing Yards 134 17
Total Offense 289 256
Punting/Avg. 4/18 6/43
Fumbles/Lost 3/0 3/2
Penalties/Yards 7/57 3/18/64
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Clemson 6 6 10 0 37
Nebraska 7 0 0 8 21
SCORING SUMMARY
CL: Igwebuike 41 FG; NE: Steels 25 pass from Rozier (Seibel kick); CL: Igwebuike 37 FG; CL: Austin 2 run (pass failed); CL: Tuttle 13 pass from Jordan (Pauling kick); CL: Igwebuike 36 FG; NE: Craig 26 run (Craig run) ... MVPs: Homer Jordan and Jeff Davis (Clemson)
Clemson Head Coach Danny Ford
Nebraska Head Coach Tom Osborne