As second-ranked Clemson gets set to play No. 3 Ohio State in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Eve, The Clemson Insider ranks all 20 of the Tigers’ bowl victories from the past.
Clemson has a rich bowl history. In fact, the Tigers’ 20 bowl-wins rank 17th in the history of college football, and their 40 bowl game appearances, including this year’s Fiesta Bowl matchup, also ranks 17th.
Clemson’s first bowl game was in the 1940 Cotton Bowl when the Tigers defeated Frank Leahy’s Boston College team, 6-3.
No. 18: 2005 Champs Sports Bowl
Clemson 19, Colorado 10
Clemson won its 15th bowl game with a 19-10 victory over Colorado in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla. It was only the second meeting between the two schools, with the first coming in the 1957 Orange Bowl, a 27-21 Buffalo win.
James Davis led the way for the Tigers, rushing for 150 yards on 28 carries to earn MVP honors. Charlie Whitehurst finished his career completing 21-29 passes for 205 yards, and also ran for a score.
Two runs by Davis gained 26 yards, and Whitehurst followed with a 20-yard strike to Curtis Baham. The drive stalled three plays later, and Jad Dean made a 26-yard field goal.
Hugh Charles picked up 13 yards and a first down at the Clemson 10, barely missing a score by stepping out of bounds. However, three more rushes by Charles resulted in a loss of eight yards, and Colorado settled for a Mason Crosby 36-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter.
On Clemson’s next possession, Whitehurst found Thomas Hunter for 10 yards on third down. After a penalty gave the Tigers another first down, Whitehurst completed a shovel pass to Davis for 22 yards down to the Colorado 10. Two rushes by Davis and another completion to Hunter moved the ball to the two, and Clemson elected to take the lead with a field goal. Dean made his 24th field goal to set a school record for field goals in a season, and his 18-yarder also gave the Tigers a 6-3 lead.
On the second play of the third quarter, Davis broke free for a 40-yard run. Whitehurst found Aaron Kelly for 11 yards three plays later, and then Whitehurst dove into the endzone for a five-yard touchdown run on a third-and-goal play. The touchdown drive covered 67 yards in eight plays.
Each team punted several more times before Colorado began a drive at its own 31 with just over nine minutes left in the game. Cox was replaced by Brian White. After a pass-interference penalty on the Tigers, White hit two consecutive passes for 45 yards down to the Clemson nine. Three plays later on third down, White found Quinn Sypniewski for a two-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 13-10.
Clemson’s defense held Colorado to 124 total yards of offense and 17 yards rushing, the top defensive performance by any team in a bowl game during the 2005 season.
—Clemson Athletic Communications