There is no stat from the Cotton Bowl that sticks in my head more than the one about the defensive decline without Julian Love on the field. Love made a statement about who was really the best defensive back in college football — and he did it from the sideline.
With Love out with a reported “head injury,” Clemson’s sensational freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence went 15-18 for 247 yards and 3 TD in 5 series. The other 6 series saw Lawrence throw 12-19 for 80 yards and 0 TD.
Of course, fans of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish already knew Julian Love was a great one, but most of us thought we were going to get another year — one that would elevate Love to an even more legendary position, but we aren’t getting that in 2019.