Looking back on it, Clemson offensive lineman Gage Cervenka admits that the Tigers weren’t totally focused or locked in during the week leading up to their 24-6 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1, 2018.

Cervenka says the Tigers were not fully prepared for the game and it showed that night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, where Clemson’s offense managed only 188 total yards, including 64 rushing, and did not score a touchdown while committing two turnovers.

“I feel like it can definitely get you if you don’t know how to prepare for it,” Cervenka said during Clemson’s media day on Monday of playing in big postseason games. “I feel like that’s kind of what got to us last time we were in New Orleans, because we had Bourbon Street and all this hype and stuff we’re hearing. So, we didn’t prepare as best. We just kind of slacked up and just tried to enjoy too much.”

Two years later, Clemson is headed back to New Orleans for the CFP National Championship against LSU next Monday, Jan. 13.

Cervenka expects the Tigers to have a businesslike approach this time around and not get distracted by their surroundings or any outside noise.

“Luckily now, though, this is a championship game, so you don’t have that much free time,” he said. “It’s more business-trip like, which is really good to be able to keep guys focused and not just kind of going out there and enjoy being at a national championship, and just kind of understand like hey, we got work here to do.”

Cervenka believes the Clemson team two years ago learned the hard way how not being zeroed in on the task at hand can come back to bite you.

“If you don’t really focus in and buy in on what you’re trying to do, then it can definitely sneak up to you and just kind of be like whoa, what just happened,” he said. “It can hurt you.”

For Cervenka, a fifth-year senior who has played in 45 career games, starting 22 of them, the national title game will be his last contest in a Clemson uniform. So, he plans to lay it all out there in his last four quarters of college football and try to finish his career with a third national championship.

“This is the final game for me. I don’t get anything else after this,” he said. “So, I’ve got four quarters if, God willing, I don’t get hurt or anything like that.”

Cervenka would love nothing more than to go in the Superdome, which figures to be crowded with LSU fans, and knock off the Bayou Bengals in their own state.

“It’s going to be very hostile. It’s going to be a home game for them,” he said. “I’m excited, though. This is something we always dream of doing is just going and just winning a trophy in a hostile environment. You’d love to have your fans there, and I’m sure we’ll have fans there. But it’s definitely going to be a lot of LSU there. So, I’m excited about it. It’s going to test us and stress us in our communication pre-snap and post-snap just because it’s going to be loud, so make sure everyone’s on the same page. But I’m excited. There’s no better than doing it than beating LSU in Louisiana.”

Clemson is going back to the national championship game after once again winning the Fiesta Bowl over Ohio State. Get your official national championship and Fiesta Bowl champs gear right here!