Clemson’s regular season ended the way its last month has felt: forceful, clean, and finally—coherent.
The Tigers closed with a 28–14 win over South Carolina to finish 7–5, ripping off four straight victories to turn a rocky fall into a December runway. Four wins don’t erase the uneven year, but they do change the question from what went wrong? to where exactly are they headed next?
And on Sunday, the answer wasn’t a single destination. It was a range.
ESPN splits Clemson between Boston and El Paso
ESPN’s two primary forecasters didn’t land on the same landing spot—an early sign Clemson is sitting in a crowded middle tier where bowl selection comes down to fit as much as ranking.
One projection keeps Clemson in the Fenway Bowl against Army on Dec. 27. The other sends the Tigers to the Sun Bowl in El Paso on Dec. 31, this time pegging Clemson against Arizona State instead of Arizona.
That split captures the reality: Clemson is attractive enough to headline a matchup, but not locked into one lane until championship weekend and the CFP board settle the final dominoes.
The rest of the board is scattered—because Clemson has options
Outside of ESPN, projections are all over the map, which usually means the market sees Clemson as one of the more “movable” brands on the board.
Depending on how the board breaks, Clemson has been projected to:
- Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa) vs South Florida
- Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando) vs Arizona
- Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham) vs James Madison
- Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte) vs Missouri
- Pinstripe Bowl (New York) vs Illinois or Nebraska
The common thread isn’t the opponent. It’s the idea that Clemson’s finish gave it enough juice to be placed in several different bowls without anyone blinking.
Here’s the real frame: Clemson is in the ACC’s “middle tier” squeeze
This is what bowl season looks like when you’re not in the playoff lane but you’re still a draw. Clemson is living in that selection pocket where geography, opponent availability, and TV appeal matter—sometimes as much as the standings.
Beat South Carolina and finish 7–5, and you’re suddenly a more compelling plug-and-play option. Lose and you’re just another bowl-eligible team. Clemson earned the better version of that conversation Saturday.
Dates to watch
If you’re trying to read the calendar before the announcement:
Dec. 19: Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa)
Dec. 27: Fenway / Pop-Tarts / Pinstripe
Dec. 29: Birmingham Bowl
Dec. 31: Sun Bowl (El Paso)
Jan. 2: Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte)
Clemson doesn’t control the destination. But after the way it finished—rivalry win in hand, momentum finally real—it put itself back in the part of the bowl conversation where the options are legitimate.