JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Quarterback Chris Morocco, upstaging counterpart Major Harris, ran for a career-high 65 yards Saturday night and No. 13 Clemson forced four consecutive second-half turnovers in a 27-7 Gator Bowl triumph against 17th-ranked West Virginia.
Before a record Gator Bowl crowd of 82,911, Morocco continually hurt the Mountaineers with critical option runs as the Tigers registered their fourth straight bowl victory. Clemson, 10-2, spotted the Mountaineers an early 7-0 lead and then ravaged Harris after intermission as Coach Danny Ford improved his bowl mark to 6-2.
West Virginia, 8-3-1, drove 96 yards on its first possession, capped by James Jett's 12-yard touchdown catch. The beleaguered Harris then lost three fumbles in the second half and was also intercepted by freshman Robert O'Neal in the Clemson end zone.
Harris, who averaged 260 yards per game in total offense and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, completed 11 of 21 passes for 119 yards and ran for just 17 yards in 11 attempts. West Virginia's huge offensive line was unable to contain the speed of the swarming Clemson defense, which ranks fifth nationally.
The Tigers, whose plus-20 turnover margin ranked second to Houston, extended a 10-7 halftime lead by capitalizing on constant West Virginia mistakes. Wesley McFadden scored from one yard out and Chris Gardocki kicked a 27-yard field goal in the first half before Clemson's defense took over.
The teams exchanged third-quarter interceptions before a Harris fumble led to a 17-7 lead at 3:17 of the fourth period. A savage hit by linebacker Levon Kirkland forced a Harris fumble recovered by Arlington Nunn at the West Virginia 47 late in the period. Morocco's 2-yard quarterback sneak on fourth-and-one from the 13 sustained the 12-play drive and Joe Henderson skirted right end from four yards out.
Defensive tackle Chester McGlockton then sacked Harris and recovered his fumble in the end zone for a 24-7 lead with 8:08 remaining. Gardocki added a 24-yard field goal with 3:16 left after reserve DeChane Cameron completed a 34-yard pass to Rodney Fletcher.
Morocco gained 65 yards in 11 carries and completed 5 of 9 passes for 57 yards in a disciplined performance. Henderson rushed for 92 yards in 22 attempts and Kirkland was named Clemson's MVP for heading a superb defensive effort.
Clemson dominated the second quarter, outgaining West Virginia 106-18 to turn a 7-0 deficit into a 10-7 halftime advantage. A 16-yard punt return by Dexter Davis gave the Tigers possession at midfield late in the opening period and Tony Kennedy dashed 17 yards off right tackle behind a crushing block by Stacy Long.
Clemson settled for Gardocki's 27-yard field goal when linebacker Lonnie Brockman dropped Gary Cooper for a 5-yard loss on a flanker reverse.
Clemson quickly took over again at its 20 and Morocco deftly led a 17-play march, all but three on the ground. Morocco provided two critical gains when he dashed 13 yards on third-and-one and then faked an option pitch on fourth-and-one from the 17, running 15 yards to the 2-yard line. Three carries later, McFadden scored untouched off right tackle behind the 280-pound Long, giving the Tigers a 10-7 lead with 2:54 remaining in the half.
Reggie Rembert caught four passes for 57 yards in the first period as the Mountaineers rolled up 112 yards. Gardocki's 63-yard punt backed West Virginia to its own 4-yard line, but Harris directed a 14-play drive. Rembert caught passes of 26 and 19 yards before Harris bought time by rolling right and spotting Jett in the back of the end zone from 12 yards out with 6:12 left in the period.
