Clemson and the Orange Bowl have been intertwined like the roots of a tree during the last five years, each piece knotted together, building something far grander. An embarrassing defeat on that field produced a defining triumph on that field, which, in turn, produced a College Football Playoff run that continues on that field.

Before we go on, let us not forget where Clemson won its only national championship, in 1981: The Orange Bowl (not exactly on the same field).

None are mutually exclusive. Without the national championship, Clemson would not have a starting foundation. Without such a humbling defeat to West Virginia in 2012, its growth as a young program might have been stunted. Clemson might have never hired Brent Venables.

It would have never been in position for redemption in the 2014 Orange Bowl against Ohio State, a victory that has everything to do with what comes next: the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl against Oklahoma.

Clemson needed that victory over the Buckeyes to not only cross out the nightmare against the Mountaineers; it needed that win to skyrocket the program further into college football’s elite class. Coach Dabo Swinney recognized that immediately after the 40-35 victory, telling reporters on Jan. 4, 2014, “It just means we're one step closer to our ultimate goal, and that's to be the best in the country.”

Those words proved to be prescient, but only because Swinney wholeheartedly believed in what he, his coaches and players were building at Clemson. Others might have dismissed the win, unconvinced that Clemson had turned the page on its history of falling flat. Swinney knew exactly what he was talking about when he made that statement.

Clemson has been No. 1 for a majority of the 2015 season, rolling to 13-0 – the only undefeated team left in college football. Since losing to West Virginia, the Tigers are 45-7. Since beating Ohio State, the Tigers are 23-3.

“That game had a very huge impact on us being where we are now,” said safety Jayron Kearse, who started as a freshman on the team that beat Ohio State. “Guys came together and we went out there and fought. Things weren’t always good going through that game, but we were able to fight and get some things together and that carried over into that next offseason.”

Kearse is quick to point out that Ohio State had won 24 of its last 25 games going into that Orange Bowl, after completing two straight unbeaten regular seasons. The Buckeyes had lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, but they were favored against the Tigers behind Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde and Ryan Shazier. Not to mention Urban Meyer on the opposite sideline.

Clemson put together a 10-win season of its own, losing to familiar rivals Florida State and South Carolina. This game would be different for the Tigers. Kearse came up with a huge interception late in the third quarter that led to a Clemson touchdown that helped make the difference in the game.

“That was when guys really believed that we were an elite program and could play with anyone,” senior guard Eric Mac Lain said.

Added Venables: "It’s grown the confidence of this program -- the players, the leaders, the kids we recruit. You use some of those experiences that were good to put yourself in that same position. It’s a mindset and an attitude and having an edge to you."

The impact will be felt beyond this season, too. Bowl performances on the big stage generally attract the attention of high school juniors, especially those with recruitments heating up. Sammy Watkins, from Fort Myers, Florida, had an Orange Bowl-record 227 yards receiving in that game. Junior receivers Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud, both from Tampa, noticed.

They signed with Clemson in the 2015 class and have been big contributors to the team as freshmen. Clemson ended up with the No. 4 class in the country, its best ranking under Swinney.

“That win was big,” said co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, who was recruiting coordinator at the time. “You think about two of the top players that we signed out of Florida in Ray-Ray McCloud and Deon Cain. They’re sitting at home watching Clemson. Clemson was just one of the five or six teams really interested at the time, and Sammy Watkins breaks an Orange Bowl record. Those things do have an impact on those players, especially in the state of Florida.”

The impact this season has had on recruiting was felt last week, when the Tigers got a commitment from ESPN 300 defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and flipped class of 2017 quarterback Hunter Johnson.

But what impact will the Orange Bowl have on Clemson? This next piece will have the biggest implications yet.