It was the second game to be called "the 2016 Fiesta Bowl", as the previous season's game was played on January 1, 2016. The previoustwo Fiesta Bowls were also played in the same calendar year as each other. The game's title sponsor was Sony Interactive Entertainment via its PlayStation brand as part of a multi-year deal with broadcasting and marketing rightsholder ESPN, which includes branded content and making PlayStation the official video gaming and virtual reality sponsor of the College Football Playoff.[2] The winning team received the Molina Fiesta Bowl Trophy.
Clemson became just the second team in college football history to shut out Ohio State (11–2) in a bowl game, joining Cal in the 1921 Rose Bowl. The game also marked the first time that Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer was shut out in his career, in about 193 games, and his second major loss to Dabo Swinney in the past four seasons.[3] The game also marked the second consecutive advance to the CFPNational Championship game by the Clemson football program.[4]
Teams
On Sunday December 4, 2016, the CFP Semifinals was announced with #2 Clemson vs. #3 Ohio State playing in the Fiesta Bowl.
This was the third meeting between the schools, with Clemson having won both of the previous matchups. The most recent meeting was the 2014 Orange Bowl, where the Tigers defeated the Buckeyes by a score of 40–35.[5]
