Boise, Idaho — After Clemson's up-and-down season, dazzling Woodrow Dantzler is happy with any bowl victory.
Even in the snow.
Even in Boise.
Dantzler tied a school record with four touchdown passes and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden got his first postseason victory as the Tigers beat Louisiana Tech 49-24 in the Humanitarian Bowl on Monday.
"This year was pretty rocky and didn't go the way we expected, but to come to a bowl game and win is a great blessing," said Dantzler, who was voted Clemson's most valuable player. "This is a great catapult for our team next year and a great way for me to go out."
With snow falling from kickoff into the third quarter, Dantzler completed 15 of 23 passes for 218 yards. He ran 15 times for 57 yards before leaving with the Tigers ahead 42-10 after the third quarter.
Both warm-weather teams struggled in the first half but Clemson (7-5) took over in the third quarter, turning up the intensity on both sides of the ball to score 28 straight points on the Bulldogs (7-5).
"Our team was hitting on all cylinders," Bowden said. "Our defense got some turnovers and offensively we scored touchdowns on our first four possessions of the second half."
This fall, Dantzler became the first Division I-A player to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season.
He went out with a bang in his final performance, throwing two scoring passes in the first six minutes of the third quarter as the Tigers (7-5) extended a 14-10 halftime lead to 42-10.
"We played Clemson football," Dantzler said. "I don't know what it was in the first half, but we weren't playing our game. In the locker room, we had to band together and refocus."
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