After winning their respective conference championship games on Sunday, several former Tigers are now Super Bowl bound.
With the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship, safety K’Von Wallace and cornerback Mario Goodrich will represent Clemson in the season’s biggest game.
Wallace, who has been an integral part of the Eagles’ special teams unit, will likely see game action; however, Goodrich is likely to remain on the practice squad, where he has been for all but one game this season.
Wallace made his presence known against the 49ers on Sunday, though perhaps for the wrong reasons.
The former fourth-round draft pick recorded one tackle in the Eagles’ victory, but with just four minutes left in the game, yellow flags went flying when a skirmish broke out on the field between him and San Fransisco tackle Trent Williams. Williams threw Wallace to the ground following the scuffle, and both were ejected soon after the initial altercation.
As for AFC, former Clemson wide receivers Cornell Powell and Justyn Ross will travel with the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, although Powell is likely to remain on the practice squad, and Ross has been out all season with a foot injury and will not play.
Looking back at the conference championship games as a whole, several familiar faces took the field, as the four teams entering the conference round collectively had five active players from Clemson.
Over in the AFC championship, two Tigers-turned-Bengals stood out. Defensive tackle D.J. Reader, who has been a commanding presence for the defensive line all season, recorded four tackles and one quarterback hit.
On the offensive side of the ball, star wide receiver Tee Higgins had an impressive game, recording six receptions for 83 yards, averaging 13.8 yards per catch. Twenty-seven of his 83 yards came on an impressive touchdown catch in the third quarter, which tied up the game 13-13.
With several former Tigers on each team’s roster, Clemson fans will have plenty to cheer for in this year’s Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, which will kick off on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. EST.
