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. 19: 1993 Peach Bowl
Clemson 14, Kentucky 13
Heading into the Peach Bowl with Kentucky, Clemson owned the seventh-best bowl winning percentage (61.1) in college football history. The Tigers upped that percentage in an exciting way, with a 14-13 win over Kentucky. Tommy West became the first coach in NCAA history to win his first game for a school in a bowl game without serving as a coach in that program during the regular season.
A tandem of running backs who hailed from Pensacola, Fla. led the Clemson rushing attack, as starting tailback Rodney Blunt rushed for a season-high 58 yards on 15 carries to lead the team. But, it was redshirt freshman Emory Smith who was named the Tigers’ Offensive MVP, as he rambled for 45 yards from his fullback position, including a two-yard touchdown run.
After taking over at its own two, quarterback Dexter McCleon engineered a 98-yard scoring drive that culminated in a one-yard run by Emory Smith.
The Wildcats drove back down the field on their next possession, this time reaching the Clemson one again, where they decided to go for it on fourth down. The Clemson defense held once again, as defensive tackle Brentson Buckner stopped the ball carrier for no gain. Buckner was named Defensive MVP after tallying a dozen tackles, including three tackles for loss. Buckner became just the fourth Tiger defensive lineman in the last eight years to record at least a dozen tackles in a game.
The Tigers were forced to punt after taking over at the one and Kentucky got on the scoreboard with a 17-yard field goal by Nicky Nickles. The score heading into the half stood at 7-3.
Neither squad scored in the third quarter, and barely into the fourth quarter, Kentucky took the lead with a 46-yard touchdown drive. After an interception, the Wildcats upped their lead to 13-7 on a 43 yard scoring drive, culminating in another field goal.
With time running down in the fourth quarter, quarterback Patrick Sapp came off the bench. The two teams exchanged punts before the Tigers got the ball at their own 18 with 3:50 left. On the first play of the drive, Sapp threw a screen to Emory Smith for 57 yards. With under a minute left, Kentucky linebacker Marty Moore intercepted Sapp’s pass. But, on the return, Stacy Seegars jarred the ball loose and Brent LeJeune recovered. With 20 seconds left, Sapp connected with Terry Smith on a 21-yard score and Nelson Welch kicked the PAT for the win.
—Clemson Athletic Communications