“Touchdown Tales: Liam Clifford Looks Back on Penn State’s Winning Journey”

CINCINNATI — Penn State redshirt junior wide receiver Liam Clifford beamed Tuesday afternoon while sharing his excitement about seeing the palm trees in Florida this week.

“I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio and I obviously attend school in Pennsylvania, so experiencing the warm weather is always a privilege,” noted Clifford, a graduate of St. Xavier High School in 2021.

Clifford, a native of Maineville, is relishing the chance as Penn State (13-2) competes against Notre Dame (13-1) in a College Football Playoff Semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Capital One Orange Bowl. The match will be broadcasted by ESPN.

The victor will face Ohio State (12-2) or Texas (13-2) in the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 20 in Atlanta.

“It is definitely exciting,” mentioned Clifford, who played a pivotal role in guiding St. Xavier to the 2020 Division I state championship. “As a youngster, you daydream of participating in matches like this, particularly against a team such as Notre Dame. Two highly revered teams. So it’s enjoyable to take it one day at a time and genuinely appreciate the moment while we can.”

Notre Dame has a number of players from the Cincinnati area on its roster, including running back Gi’Bran Payne (La Salle), safety Ben Minich (Lakota West), Moeller cornerback Karson Hobbs (Moeller), safety Taebron Bennie-Powell (Lakota West), and offensive lineman Ashton Craig (Lawrenceburg).

Clifford, who was honored as the 2020 Division I state offensive player of the year at St. Xavier, has participated in all 15 games for the Nittany Lions this season, recording 18 receptions for 286 yards and a touchdown.

“Whenever you witness students you’ve coached achieve great things, it means a lot for the coaches and educators involved,” St. Xavier coach Steve Specht remarked.

“Liam is an exceptional player. He was a three-year starter for us, but more crucially, he was an outstanding leader, serving as captain during his senior year and representing St. Xavier impeccably. I wouldn’t say his achievements surprise any of us. He’s a remarkable individual. We are all cheering for Penn State right now!”

Clifford is the younger sibling of Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford, a former star at Penn State who is currently on the Packers’ practice squad.

Liam Clifford mentioned that the Penn State players frequently discuss having an average of 65 plays per game. The Nittany Lions are certainly hoping for an additional 65 plays following Thursday evening. Clifford expressed that he’s enjoyed the camaraderie within the team.

“It’s been an enjoyable year,” Clifford stated. “I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

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