If there were doubts when Clemson took over at its own 6-yard line with 3:07 remaining and trailing, 23-21, they did not permeate the huddle.

Lawrence, the gangly sophomore who until that point had stymied Ohio State more with his legs than his right arm, looked around the huddle and told his teammates he loved them. “Let’s go win this thing,” he added.

“We definitely have that type of drive in our DNA,” receiver Diondre Overton said. “We were ready for it.”

Four plays later, Etienne had put Clemson ahead with his third touchdown of the night.

The game’s tenor, though, turned long before that — on Wade’s ejection.

With Ohio State firmly in control with a 16-0 lead late in the second quarter, Wade circled through on a blitz and leveled Lawrence for a sack. The play, on third-and-5, left Lawrence in need of a trainer’s attention as he lay flat on his back — and the Tigers looked equally supine.

But while Lawrence was being tended to, replay officials examined the play and ruled that Wade had lowered his helmet and hit Lawrence in the head with it. The penalty was severe: 15 yards and a first down for Clemson and Wade kicked out of the game.

Day was furious, his arms outstretched toward the referee Ken Williamson before he appeared to shout an expletive. Buckeyes fans backed him up with a chorus of boos. Clemson made the most of the opportunity, driving near the goal line when Etienne took a third-and-2 pitch from Lawrence and eluded three Buckeyes who appeared to have him penned in. Etienne wormed his way 8 yards for a touchdown to bring Clemson within 16-7 with 2:45 left in the half.