Clemson reigned victoriously in the 2025 edition of the Palmetto Bowl with a 28-14 win over South Carolina on Saturday. Led by the offensive and defensive impact players, Clemson was able to get the job done on both sides of the ball in its win over South Carolina.
Offensive impact player: Adam Randall
The former wide receiver, converted into a running back, has shown flashes of great play throughout the 2025 season. In Clemson's penultimate game of the season, with the announcement of the bowl game and opponent coming later this month, Randall finished his first season as a running back with a very solid game.
Randall finished with 104 rushing yards on 24 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per carry on Saturday. He also reached the end zone once on the ground with a rushing touchdown against the in-state rival South Carolina.
Through 12 games this season, the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, native finished with 779 rushing yards on 157 carries (5 yards per carry), also adding nine rushing touchdowns on the 2025 season. Showcasing his former skills as a receiver, Randall added 246 receiving yards on 31 catches (7.9 yards per catch), adding another three touchdowns via the passing game.
Defensive impact player: T.J. Parker
In a recent NFL Mock Draft, EDGE Paker was still projected to be a top pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, as CBS Sports projected Parker going at the 11th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft despite the rocky season that Clemson had in 2025. The Phenix City, Alabama, native remains a highly coveted prospect in the NFL Draft and concluded his 2025 regular season with a standout performance in the Palmetto Bowl.
Parker finished with four tackles (two solo tackles), three sacks, two quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. The Phenix City native was a game wrecker against South Carolina, causing chaos in the backfield for talented South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
Wrapping up his junior season before the bowl game, Parker racked up 37 tackles (18 solo tackles), nine tackles for loss, five sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one pass breakup. It might not have gone quite as well as Parker would have liked to have finished his Clemson career, seemingly, but the edge rusher still put together a very solid season in his junior year at Clemson.
For the Clemson Tigers, it is now time to wait and see who they will face and what bowl game. Following the conference championship game this Saturday, the bowl games will be announced on Sunday, giving a better idea of who might suit up in one last game for Clemson this season.