Here's a quick breakdown of Clemson's 21-13 win over Kentucky in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl:

How the game was won: Clemson’s defense, which had become rather generous in losses to South Carolina and Georgia Tech, came up with the stops it needed to in the second half and a game-changing turnover. After capitalizing on the only turnover of the game -- a Kentucky fumble -- Clemson's defense stifled Kentucky on fourth-and-8 from the Clemson 32-yard line, with Kentucky out of time outs. Ricky Sapp came up with a huge tackle and Clemson took over on downs. With the help of standout senior running back C.J. Spiller, the Tigers were able to control the clock in the waning minutes to preserve the win.

Turning point: With 11:33 left in the game, Clemson linebacker Kavell Conner forced a fumble, and Jarvis Jenkins recovered it at Kentucky’s 19-yard line for the first turnover of the game. Three plays later, Spiller scored on an eight-yard touchdown run. It gave the Tigers the 21-13 lead, an edge they would not relinquish.

Stat of the game: Time of possession was 20:15 to 9:45 in the first half, in favor of Kentucky. One way to keep the ball out of Spiller’s hands was to keep him off the field, and Kentucky was able to do that in the first half. Not the second.

Player of the game: Spiller. Clemson could not have done it without him in the second half, and Kentucky could not stop him. He finished with 172 all-purpose yards, set the school record for consecutive touchdowns in a game, and scored what would be the touchdown that sealed the win. It was quite a grand finale for the senior.

Unsung hero of the game: Fullback Chad Diehl. He was the lead blocker for Spiller and Jamie Harper, both of whom scored touchdowns in the game. On third-and-goal with about five minutes left in the first half, Harper punched in a one-yard touchdown run when Diehl knocked safety Calvin Harrison over to pave the way. It gave Clemson a 14-10 lead, the Tigers’ first lead of the game.

What it means: Clemson redeemed itself for back-to-back losses to rival South Carolina and Georgia Tech, and proved that it took this game seriously despite their disappointment about not playing in a BCS bowl. That’s a credit to first-year coach Dabo Swinney for once again getting the team focused and back on track. While it was a celebratory farewell to super seniors like Spiller and Jacoby Ford, it was also a sneak peak at the future, as Harper showed a lot of promise and was key in the win. Seniors like Spiller earned the first bowl win of their career, and set a strong foundation for 2010. The Tigers also avoided another embarrassing ACC loss to a mediocre SEC team and improved the ACC’s bowl record to 1-2.

Record performance: Spiller’s touchdown in the fourth quarter set a school-record 14 straight games with at least one touchdown.