CLEMSON – The Clemson Football Team finally learned where it will be spending the Holidays on Sunday.
The Tigers accepted a bid to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Dec. 29 in Jacksonville, Fla. Clemson will play Kentucky from EverBank Stadium at noon on ESPN.
This will be Clemson’s 10th bowl appearance in the Gator Bowl, but it will be the program’s 50th bowl appearance overall, dating back to its first bowl game – the 1940 Cotton Bowl. The Tigers’ 50 bowl appearances are tied for 12th all-time in the history of college football.
No team has played in the Gator Bowl more than Clemson. The Tigers’ 10 Gator Bowl appearances are also the most for any bowl game Clemson has played in.
Clemson last played in the Gator Bowl in 2008 against Nebraska. The Tigers are 4-5 all-time in the Gator Bowl and lost in their last three appearances there.
This will mark the fourth time Clemson and Kentucky have faced each other in a bowl game. The Tigers currently hold a 2-1 advantage from the previous three meetings.
Clemson beat the Wildcats 14-13 in the 1993 Peach Bowl and 21-13 in the 2009 Music City Bowl. Kentucky’s win came in the 2006 Music City Bowl, 28-20.
The Wildcats own an 8-5 lead over Clemson in the all-time series.
Clemson enters the bowl season on a four-game win-streak, which includes wins over Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and North Carolina, which are all expected to receive bowl bids.
The Tigers, who beat rival South Carolina last week to close the regular season, will have a somewhat different team in the bowl game. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and cornerback Nate Wiggins have declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and have elected to sit out the bowl game. Wide receiver Beaux Collins, backup quarterback Hunter Helms, reserve tight end Sage Ennis, reserve offensive lineman Mitchell Mayes and reserve cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. entered the transfer portal and are no longer on the roster.
Overall, Clemson has a 26-23 record in bowl games. The Tigers’ 26 wins rank 10th all-time in bowl wins in college football history.
Since 1977, Clemson has played in 42 bowl games. The 1982, ’83 and ’84 teams were all bowl eligible, but they could not participate in postseason play due to self-imposed, NCAA and ACC sanctions.
The Tigers did not qualify for bowl games in 1992, ’94 and ’98 and though the 2004 team was bowl eligible, it did not accept a bowl invitation as punishment for its involvement in the brawl with South Carolina in the regular season finale.
Clemson’s qualification for bowl participation, which now sits at 25 straight, is the third longest active streak in college football. The Tigers’ current streak of playing in 18 consecutive bowl games is the fifth longest active streak.
The Clemson Football program has won an FBS record 12 straight postseason games—including ACC Championship Games—since 2011.
To honor Clemson’s special senior class Dear Old Clemson is selling footballs signed by 7 of Clemson’s Avengers for only $100. These limited edition footballs are signed by Thomas, Orhorhoro, Davis, Mascoll, Henry, Murphy and Williams. Get one while supplies last.
