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. 16: 1986 Gator Bowl
Clemson 27, Stanford 21
Christmas came two days late for the Tigers as they won their first bowl since the 1982 Orange Bowl. After a brilliant first half display of offense and defense, Clemson managed to hold off a second-half Stanford rally and went on to defeat the 17th-ranked Cardinal, 27-21.
Before a Gator Bowl crowd of 80,104, the Tigers scored 27 unanswered points in the first half and appeared to be on the way to a rout. But the second half was a different ball game as Stanford came out strong and put up 21 unanswered points of its own.
Gator Bowl MVP Rodney Williams completed 8-of-11 passes in the first half, but it was his execution of the option that helped Clemson gain a 27-0 halftime lead.
After punting on their first possession, the Tigers scored on their next five. With the score 17-0 in the second quarter, Reggie Harris knocked the ball loose on a Stanford kickoff return and the Tigers recovered on Stanford’s 16-yard line. Two plays later, Ray Williams took a reverse in for a 14-yard touchdown, his first of the season.
David Treadwell added his longest field goal of the year (46) on Clemson’s next possession, putting the Tigers up 27-0 at the intermission.
But the Cardinal came back from halftime a different team. Kodak All-American tailback Brad Muster rushed for a touchdown and caught two scoring passes while the Clemson offense came to a standstill. With 1:43 left to play in the game Clemson was forced to punt to the Cardinal with only a touchdown’s lead. But the Tiger defense rose to the occasion, as Stanford gained only six yards on the next four downs.
The Clemson offense fell on the ball to run the clock out and the Tigers emerged victorious.
Tailbacks Terrence Flagler and Kenny Flowers combined for 149 yards. Sophomore Ricardo Hooper led the receiving corps with two catches for 44 yards. Terrance Roulhac and Flagler each had three catches with 22 and 23 yards, respectively. Rodney Williams rushed 16 times for 18 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Tigers were led by linebacker Henry Carter, who recorded a career-high 13 tackles. Gene Beasley added seven tackles and broke up two passes. The game also marked Michael Dean Perry’s offensive debut, as he was put in as a blocking back on a goal-line situation in the first half.
—Clemson Athletic Communications