Does experience in College Football Playoff give Trevor Lawrence, Clemson edge in Fiesta Bowl?

CLEMSON, S.C. -- This year’s College Football Playoff is all about the quarterbacks, and the Clemson-Ohio State matchup should provide riveting play with Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields in the fold.

“Their quarterback has been amazing,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said of Fields.

“Trevor Lawrence is as good a quarterback as there is in the country and he’s been on the biggest stages,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.

It’s not like either coach is going out on a limb here, but they’re both right.

Fields and Lawrence, who played high school football on campuses located about a 30 minutes apart northwest of Atlanta, will renew acquaintances this Saturday about as far from the Peach State as one can get – Glendale, Arizona.

Fields has been nothing short of dynamic in his first season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Georgia, passing for 2,953 yards with 40 touchdowns and only one interception and rushing for 471 yards with 10 more scores. He was invited to New York City this month as one of four finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

“The year he’s had is pretty awesome to see,” Lawrence said.

Fields has a quick release, is very efficient and seldom makes mistakes – the perfect ingredients for an effective quarterback. His athleticism has been evident from the get-go, but there have been concerns about his health after he sprained an MCL  against Penn State on Nov. 23 and aggravated the injury the next week against Michigan.

“I think with this rest he’s going to be at 100 percent,” Day said.

After he threw eight interceptions in the Tigers’ first seven games, Lawrence has been unstoppable and essentially error-free. Since the second quarter of the Louisville game Oct. 19, he has passed for 23 touchdowns and has thrown 169 consecutive passes without an interception.

Lawrence says he’s more comfortable than ever heading into the Fiesta showdown.

“Having that experience of playing a year and also knowing what to expect in these moments ahead,” Lawrence said. “That gives me an advantage because I’ve been there before.”