No. 18 Clemson 40, No. 24 Oklahoma 6: Cole Stoudt threw for a career-high 319 yards and three touchdowns and the Tigers’ top-ranked defense suffocated the Sooners en route to an easy victory in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

Stoudt finished 26-of-36 and added a rushing score in his final college game for Clemson (10-3), which forced five turnovers and held Oklahoma’s 19th-ranked offense to 275 yards – 205 below its season average. Freshman Artavis Scott (eight catches for 114 yards), Mike Williams (career-high nine receptions for 112 yards) and Germone Hopper each hauled in a touchdown for the Tigers.

Freshman Samaje Perine amassed 156 total yards (134 rushing) and was one of the few bright spots for the Sooners (8-5), who got an 11-yard run from Alex Ross with 6:57 remaining to avoid their first shutout since 1998. Trevor Knight returned following a three-game absence due to a neck injury to throw for a season-low 103 yards and three interceptions.

Clemson set the tone early, forcing a three-and-out on Oklahoma’s opening possession and taking the lead for good on its first offensive play when Scott took a flanker screen and raced past three defenders for a 65-yard touchdown. The Tigers added a field goal on their next drive and concluded their 17-point first quarter when linebacker Ben Boulware collected a pass off the hands of the Sooners’ Sterling Shepard and ran it back 47 yards for a score.

After Ammon Lakip’s career-long 49-yard field goal made it a 20-point bulge, Oklahoma appeared to cut into the deficit when defensive end Charles Tapper returned an interception for a touchdown on a fourth-down play. However, the play was called back on an offside penalty and Williams scored from 26 yards out three plays later.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The 34-point margin of defeat was the second-worst suffered by Oklahoma in school postseason history, falling two points shy of the Sooners’ 55-19 defeat against USC on Jan. 4, 2005, in the BCS title game. … Clemson posted its fourth consecutive 10-win season for the first time since 1987-90. … Perine ran for 925 yards over his final four games, including an FBS-record 427 against Kansas on Nov. 22.