Stop calling Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence a freshman.
A freshman doesn't go into a College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame and tilt the field, one pass at a time. A freshman doesn't rack up 264 yards and three touchdowns by halftime in a Playoff semifinal game. A freshman doesn't put their team on the doorstep of a second national championship in three years with a 30-3 victory in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Saturday.
Well, this one does. Lawrence, who finished 27 of 40 passing for 327 yards, is a future No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. We say that with no hesitation, despite the fact that decision won't come until 2021.
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In the present, Lawrence is in position to become just the second true freshman to lead a team to a national championship when the Tigers take on the winner of Alabama and Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff championship on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif. Imagine if he can become the first freshman to start and win a championship this century.
Other freshmen have been in that spotlight the last two years. Alabama's Jalen Hurts almost did it against Clemson as a true freshman in 2016, and Tua Tagovailoa came off the bench as a true freshman to beat Georgia in 2017.
The difference with Tagovailoa here is Lawrence can win it as a starter — just like the last true freshman to do it. Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway replaced Troy Aikman after two games in 1985 and led the Sooners to the national title. Holieway was an option quarterback who fit perfectly with Oklahoma's lock-down defense.
Lawrence is more than an option quarterback. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's decision to switch to a quarterback with an extraordinary arm opened the entire field for the Tigers this season. Call it for what it is. The move to Lawrence in favor of Kelly Bryant, who transferred to Missouri, gave Clemson a better chance to beat Alabama or Oklahoma in the championship game. That was the easiest overreaction-come-true after the first glimpse of Lawrence in Week 1.
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Lawrence proved that decision right one more time with a downfield display that helped the Tigers build a commanding 23-3 lead by halftime. Lawrence tilted the complexion of the Cotton Bowl with a four-pass flurry in the second quarter that included:
— A deep pass down the sideline which Justyn Ross hauled in over Donte Vaughn and raced 52 yards for a touchdown.
— A third-and-14 rip down the seam to Ross, who scored a 42-yard touchdown.
— A 32-yard pass with nine seconds left in the first half to Hunter Renfrow, which set up a red-zone shot after a roughing the passer by Jerry Tillery.
— A 9-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins, who pulled in a one-handed catch with two seconds left for the 23-3 advantage.
That flurry was the difference. Lawrence didn't make the big mistake in the second half. He made the big plays with his arm that simultaneously made this victory seem like another Saturday in the ACC and leaves Notre Dame with some big questions despite an undefeated regular season.
Now, Lawrence — 10-0 as a starter — has Clemson in the Playoff championship game for the third time in four years. He's done that with the uncommon poise of a veteran quarterback. He's captivated with a hand-cannon arm that shows that Clemson is, in fact, as good as advertised. He looks ready for more. National champion. No. 1 pick. None of that seems too big right now.
Not bad for a freshman, right?
OK, that’s the last time we'll call him that.
