Clemson football bowl game projections soar after upset win over Louisville

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The Clemson Tigers‘ bowl game streak is all but certain to reach 21 consecutive years now.

The Tigers’ wild 20-19 upset win over the Louisville Cardinals in Week 12 improved Clemson‘s record to 5-5 overall with two games remaining. Clemson faces Furman from the FCS ranks Saturday at Memorial Stadium, then has its annual in-state showdown with the rival South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 29 in Columbia.

Cade Klubnik won his final ACC game by completing 22 of 34 passes for 187 yards. Converted wide receiver Adam Randall ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and kicker Nolan Hauser was clutch for the second straight week with two field goals on as many attempts.

The Tigers finished the 2025 college football season at 4-4 in the ACC. A win over Furman this Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, The CW) would make Clemson officially bowl eligible.

The Tigers’ 20-year active bowl game streak is the fourth longest in the nation, trailing only the Georgia Bulldogs, Oklahoma Sooners, and Alabama Crimson Tide.

ESPN predicts Clemson football’s bowl game after upset win over Louisville

Projected matchup: Clemson vs. South Florida Bulls

  • Bowl: Fenway Bowl
  • Where: Fenway Park (Boston)
  • When: Dec. 27, 2025, 2:15 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach projects a rematch of the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl, which saw Clemson face South Florida. The Bulls won, 31-26, in Charlotte to mark the end of Dabo Swinney’s second season as Tigers coach.

Another ESPN projection comes from Kyle Bonagura, who also sees the Tigers playing at the Boston Red Sox historic venue. Bonagura sees Clemson facing Army. The Tigers have played Army football only one other time; in October 1937, when Army defeated Clemson, 21-6 at West Point.

Jerry Palm has interesting bowl projection for Clemson football

Projected matchup: Clemson vs. Kennesaw State Owls

  • Bowl: Birmingham Bowl
  • Where: Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • When: Dec. 29, 2025, 2 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN

Veteran college sports analyst Jerry Palm at Palm Brackets sees Clemson facing Kennesaw State, a program in only its second season at the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), in the Birmingham Bowl.

Clemson has never played in the Birmingham Bowl, nor have the Tigers ever faced Alabama at Legion Field in Birmingham, where the Crimson Tide played the majority of their home games before officially moving to Bryant-Denny Stadium full-time in 2003.

The New York Times projects Clemson football will make first-ever appearance in this bowl game

Projected matchup: Clemson vs. Arizona State Sun Devils

  • Bowl: Sun Bowl
  • Where: Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
  • When: Dec. 31, 2025, 2 p.m. ET
  • TV: CBS

The Athletic, the online sports hub of The New York Times, sees Clemson making a trip to the Sun Bowl for the first time in school history. Analyst Scott Dochterman projects a matchup between Clemson and coach Kenny Dillingham’s Sun Devils from the Big 12.

Clemson and Arizona State have never met on the gridiron.

CBS Sports predicts Clemson football will return to familiar bowl game

Over at CBS Sports, college football analyst Brad Crawford sees Clemson making a return trip to the Gator Bowl.

Per Crawford:

“The thrilling win at Louisville virtually guaranteed Dabo Swinney’s program is going back to the postseason. That was unexpected from the Tigers, who were road favorites and lucky to win after a pair of missed field goals. Now, seven wins is the goal with a rivalry victory over the Gamecocks before heading to Jacksonville in our updated projections. Verdict: Gator Bowl.”

Clemson has played in the Gator Bowl more times than any other bowl game in school history, with 10 total appearances. The Tigers beat the Kentucky Wildcats in a 38-35 shootout in Jacksonville on Dec. 29, 2023, rallying for 28 points in the fourth quarter to come out on top.

Projected matchup: Clemson vs. TBA

  • Bowl: Gator Bowl
  • Where: EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
  • When: Dec. 27, 2026, 8:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: ABC

Clemson football schedule 2025

All start times Eastern.

  • Aug. 30: vs. LSU (L, 17-10)
  • Sept. 6: vs. Troy (W, 27-16)
  • Sept. 13: at Georgia Tech (L, 24-21)
  • Sept. 20: vs. Syracuse (L, 34-21)
  • Oct. 4: at North Carolina (W, 38-10)
  • Oct. 11: at Boston College (W, 41-10)
  • Oct. 18: vs. SMU, (L, 35-24)
  • Nov. 1: vs. Duke (L, 46-45)
  • Nov. 8: vs. Florida State (W, 24-10)
  • Nov. 14: at Louisville (W, 20-19)
  • Nov. 22: vs. Furman, 4:30 p.m., The CW
  • Nov. 29: at South Carolina, noon, SEC Network

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football bowl projections soar after Louisville upset

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