After much speculation about going to the Holiday Bowl, Clemson will actually be heading to Florida for the Gator Bowl. They will be playing their second SEC opponent of this season, Kentucky. This will be the first time in 14 years these two programs have met on the field. The Tigers will be looking for their fifth straight win to put an official end to the 2023 season. While the game is still a few weeks away, it’s never too early to get prepared for bowl season. So, we’re going to take a look at some regular season stats to get a deeper look at how these programs match up.
First Some History
It has been a while since these programs last met, but they have had quite a few battles before. The first meeting took place in 1925 when Kentucky won 19-6. There have been 13 total meetings between these schools with the Wildcats also leading the series 8-5.
The previous three games these teams have faced each other in have also been bowl games. The last game they met in was the 2009 Music City Bowl. Clemson won that game 21-13. These programs played each other twice in the Music City Bowl splitting the games 1-1. In terms of bowl games played against each other, the Tigers hold the lead 2-1. All three of the previous bowl games ended in just a one-possession win.
2023 Overviews
It is no secret the 2023 season did not go as expected for Clemson. The Tigers finished the regular season 8-4 overall, and 4-4 in the ACC. This was after an overall 4-4 start and 2-4 in the ACC. The start was rough, but the finish has been very strong. Clemson is now ranked 22nd in the nation after winning its last four games. Two of those wins came against top-25-ranked opponents. The Tigers are also 1-0 against SEC opponents after beating rival South Carolina in the last game of the season.
Kentucky is another team that fell a little bit short of expectations. After bringing in a couple of outstanding transfers in the off-season, many thought the Wildcats might have a better chance to compete in the SEC. They started the season 5-0, even getting a big win against 22nd-ranked Florida but finished 2-5. Overall they finished 7-5, and 3-5 in the SEC. Kentucky was able to get two wins against top-25-ranked opponents as well. This came after beating their rival Louisville, which also gave them a 1-0 record against ACC opponents.
Clemson Defense vs Kentucky Offense
Clemson has one of the best defenses in the country and they have the stats to back it up. The Tigers have the seventh-best total defense in the FBS, first in the ACC, giving up an average of only 278.7 yards per game. Kentucky is just below the top 100 offenses in the FBS, and the bottom 5 in the SEC.
The best part of the Tiger’s defense is their pass defense. Clemson ranks fifth in the FBS, and first in the ACC in pass defense. They have made some of the best quarterbacks they’ve faced struggle because of their relentless pass rush. Spencer Rattler entered South Carolina’s matchup with the Tigers with the 16th most passing yards in the country. Clemson held him to only 112 passing yards. Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary has the 57th most passing yards in the FBS with 2,440. The Tigers have given up only 1,946 passing yards all season.
The run game will be where Kentucky will have to try to start generating some offense. Running back Ray Davis is one of the best in the country. He has the 29th most rush yards in the FBS with 1,066. He ran for 280 yards against Florida. Clemson’s defense has given up an average of 116.5 rush yards per game. The Tiger defense has also given up quite a few explosive runs to some of the better running backs they have played.
Switching Possessions
Looking at the other side of the ball, Clemson’s offense has not been great. Statistically, they are better than some might realize though. The Tiger’s offense is averaging 405.7 yards per game, which puts them still in the top 55 total offenses in the FBS. They are right in the middle of the pack in the ACC. Their best offensive games have been when they leaned on the running game. Clemson averages 180.3 rushing yards per game. Kentucky plays their best defense against the run though. The Wildcat’s defense gives up on average only 113.8 rush yards per game. This ranks just above Clemson in the FBS in rush defense.
In the passing game, Cade Klubnik has had some growing pains, but he’s been mostly solid throughout the year. This would be a great game for Klubnik to show how much he has grown in the starter role this season. He has thrown for 2,580 yards this season, averaging 215 yards per game. Kentucky’s defense has not shut down the passing game the way the Tiger’s defense has. The Wildcats have given up 2,819 yards through the air this season, 234.9 on average per game.
Other Important Stats
Other stats to keep note of especially when it comes to this 2023 Tigers squad revolve around the turnovers. Clemson has 21 turnovers on offense and has given up 78 points off of these turnovers. Over the last few weeks especially though, the Tiger defense has done a great job of getting takeaways themselves. They have 24 takeaways on defense which has helped put the turnover ratio in their favor.
Kentucky on defense has 17 takeaways themselves. Many of these came by interception, most of which were by defensive back Maxwell Hairston. Hairston himself has five of the Wildcats 10 interceptions which ties them for third most in the SEC. Clemson has the second most interceptions in the ACC with 14, which also ties them for sixth in the FBS.
On paper, this game is fairly even with Clemson having the slight edge because of its defense. There are already game-changing playmakers who’ve declared they will be sitting out though. Some are declaring for the draft like Jeremiah Trotter Jr, and others are hitting the transfer portal like Andrew Mukuba. This is what is special about bowl games though. It is a chance to get a glance at how the future of the program looks. This is an opportunity for Clemson to show the future is still looking good.
