Travis Etienne of Clemson running for a 62-yard touchdown in the third quarter of its victory over Notre Dame. Tom Pennington/Getty Images
ARLINGTON, Tex. — With its veteran defense complementing a true freshman quarterback, second-ranked Clemson dominated third-ranked Notre Dame, 30-3, on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal, to advance to its third national title game in four seasons and solidify its status as an elite program.
The Tigers will face the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal, the Orange Bowl between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Oklahoma, in the national championship game on Jan.