George Schroeder

USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Breaking down No. 1 Clemson's 37-17 win against No. 4 Oklahoma on Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl:

THE BIG PICTURE: Clemson is headed to the College Football Playoff national championship game after a dominating, complete performance on both sides of the ball. Trailing 17-16 at halftime, the Tigers outscored Oklahoma 21-0 in the second half behind a steady dose of sophomore running back Wayne Gallman, big plays from Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson – and at least as important, a battering defensive line that was missing All-America defensive end Shaq Lawson.

The Sooners rushed for only 67 yards (a 2.03-yard average) and seemed to spend much of the second half limping off or being helped off the field.

Clemson will face the winner of the Cotton Bowl semifinal between Alabama and Michigan State on Jan. 11 in Glendale, Ariz.

Orange Bowl takeaways: Clemson looks every bit like No. 1

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Clemson was a slight underdog to Oklahoma. But after a dominant showing, the Tigers looked every bit like a team that should be considered the favorite to win it all. Watson wasn't exactly precise, but his combination of running and passing was too much. Add Gallman's running, and Clemson gradually wore down Oklahoma.

Meanwhile, after giving up a methodical touchdown drive on Oklahoma's first possession, the Clemson defense clamped down. The Sooners weren't able to run, which made things tougher for Baker Mayfield to throw. Mayfield was intercepted twice in the second half in Clemson territory.

When Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware snatched his pass near the end zone with a little more than seven minutes left, snuffing out Oklahoma's last hope, insult was added to, well, injury. Trying to make the tackle, Mayfield took a knee to the helmet and was knocked woozy. The Tigers' overall performance should serve notice: They looked more than worthy of that consensus No. 1 ranking.

THE DECIDING PLAY: Trailing 23-17 in the third quarter, the Sooners drove into Clemson territory. On fourth-and-1 from the 30, they gave it to Samaje Perine. The sophomore running back had left the game earlier with what appeared to be a left ankle injury, but returned.

With the ankle heavily taped, he took a direct snap and bulled forward, but was stuffed by the middle of the Tigers' defensive line. Clemson needed four plays to cover 70 yards. Watson's 35-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow stretched the Tigers' lead.

TOP PLAY: Early in the second quarter, Clemson trailed 7-3 but grabbed momentum and more when Dabo Swinney went to trickery. On fourth-and-4 from the Oklahoma 44, the Tigers faked a punt. Andy Teasdall, the punter, lobbed a pass to Christian Wilkins, whose normal duties are as a 6-2, 268-pound defensive tackle. The play went for 31 yards, setting up a touchdown two plays later to give Clemson the lead.

And there was more context. Against North Carolina in the ACC Championship, Teasdall drew Swinney's ire when he faked a punt on his own initiative, running and coming up well short of the first down. North Carolina scored after the mistake, and Swinney was caught on TV cameras yelling at Teasdall: "What are you doing? Punt that ball!"

But Thursday, when Teasdall threw it, everything worked out perfectly.

KEY STAT: Clemson rushed for 315 yards. It was the most rushing yards Oklahoma has allowed since a 2013 Cotton Bowl loss to Texas A&M (326 yards). The Sooners gave up 313 rushing yards in their only other loss of the season, to Texas.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ORANGE BOWL