CLEMSON, S.C. — John Poulos, the first Clemson football player to catch a touchdown pass in a bowl game, passed away Wednesday morning at a hospital in Gaffney, S,C.

Born Oct. 13, 1926, Poulos was believed to be the oldest living former Clemson football player prior to his passing. He was just eight months and two days short of his 100th birthday.

Poulos lettered as an end on the Clemson teams of 1944, 1947, 1948 and 1949. The native of Spartanburg, S.C. played 33 games over his four seasons, including 20 as a starter. He lettered as a true freshman in 1944 and then served the United States military in the South Pacific from 1945-46.

Poulos was a reliable receiver for Frank Howard’s teams, serving as a key reserve in 1947 and a starter in 1948 and 1949. He finished his career with 17 receptions for 384 yards, a 22.6-yard average, and five touchdowns. In 1947, he recorded a team-best six catches for a team-best 169 yards, a team-leading 28.2-yard average.

Poulos was the third leading receiver on Clemson’s 11-0 Gator Bowl Championship team that finished 10th in the nation in the Associated Press Poll in 1948. He started all 11 games that year and finished with seven receptions for 166 yards and four touchdowns.

His most important contribution that season was a nine-yard touchdown reception from Bobby Gage in the Gator Bowl against Missouri, a score that gave Clemson a 21-14 lead in the third on the way to a 24-23 victory. The touchdown reception marked Clemson’s first receiving touchdown in a bowl game in program history.

Poulos started nine of the 10 games during the 1949 season as well.

An architectural engineering major, Poulos earned his Clemson undergraduate degree in 1950 and worked for the DuPont Corporation for over 35 years.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications