The Clemson Tigers and Kentucky Wildcats gave us a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Game showdown for the ages. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and relive this roller coaster of a game.
Mafah’s Magic Touch
If there was one player who stood out in the sea of orange and blue, it was Clemson’s running back Mafah. With an astounding four touchdowns to his name, Mafah dazzled under the stadium lights, leading the Tigers to victory. His final touchdown, a stunning display of skill and athleticism, was the clincher that turned the tide in favor of Clemson.
A Thrilling Climax
The final quarter of the Kentucky-Clemson game was nothing short of a heart-stopping rollercoaster ride. Fans were on the edge of their seats as both teams went back and forth, scoring a jaw-dropping total of 42 points. Starting with a 21-10 lead, Kentucky saw their lead shrink as Clemson outscored them 28-14 in the fourth quarter alone. It was a moment of reckoning as the stakes were high, and the pressure was on. With a total of five turnovers, four for Kentucky and one for Clemson, the energy was palpable as both teams fought tooth and nail toward victory. Clemson had a close call with a field goal that hit the crossbar but eventually went in, much to the delight of the crowd. But Clemson held their nerve. With a final score of 38-35, they clinched a victory that was as sweet as it was hard-fought.
A Game to Remember
The Gator Bowl was more than just a game. It was a thrilling rollercoaster ride that had fans cheering, groaning, and holding their breath in turn. The victory marked Clemson’s fifth consecutive win, a fitting end to a spectacular year. And while the Wildcats may have lost the game, they won hearts with their spirit and determination.
The Clemson vs Kentucky TaxSlayer Gator Bowl was a game that will be etched in college football history.
Game notes:
- Clemson made its 50th bowl appearance in school history. Clemson became the 12th program in the nation to appear in 50 bowl games all-time.
- Clemson made its 10th Gator Bowl appearance of all time, it was most of any bowl game.
- Clemson became the first program in history to appear in 10 Gator Bowls.
- The game included five fourth-quarter lead changes, all of which came in the final 6:45 of game time.
- Clemson’s 28 points in the fourth quarter were Clemson’s most in a fourth quarter in its bowl history. It also tied for the most in a fourth quarter of any game in Clemson history, tying four such games.
- Clemson matched a season-high with four takeaways, all of which came in the fourth quarter. It was Clemson’s third four-takeaway game of the season and Clemson’s first four-takeaway bowl game since the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl.
- Clemson won the turnover margin, 4-1. Clemson won the turnover margin for a fifth consecutive game for the first time since a nine-game streak in 2019. Clemson finished the season 7-0 this year when it won the turnover margin and 2-4 when it did not.
- Clemson has now recorded multiple takeaways in five consecutive games for the first time since the final three games of 2018 and the first two games of 2019. Clemson finished the season with 28 takeaways, its most since 2019 (30 in 15 games).
- Running back Phil Mafah rushed 11 times for 71 yards with a career-high four rushing touchdowns, earning Most Valuable Player honors.
- Mafah’s four rushing touchdowns broke the Clemson bowl record (three by Tracy Johnson vs. Penn State in the 1988 Citrus Bowl) and broke the Gator Bowl record (three set by many players).
- Mafah became the first Clemson player to rush for four touchdowns in a game since C.J. Spiller against Georgia Tech in the 2009 ACC Championship Game.
- With his 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th rushing touchdowns of the year, Mafah gave Clemson at least one player with double-digit rushing touchdowns in nine consecutive seasons.
- Mafah’s first two touchdowns of the game came on one-yard plunges in the second and fourth quarters.
- Mafah’s third touchdown was a 29-yard go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. He added the game-winning score on a three-yard run with 17 seconds remaining.
- Mafah became the first Clemson player to score three touchdowns in any single quarter since DeAndre Hopkins against Duke in 2012. He is also the first Clemson player in Stats Perform’s data set back to 1996 to score three touchdowns in a fourth quarter specifically.
- Mafah (965) and running back Will Shipley (827) became the fifth Clemson duo (including quarterbacks) since 1948 to each rush for 800 yards in a single season. They became only the third running back duo to accomplish the feat, joining C.J. Spiller/James Davis in 2006 and Kenny Flowers/Stacey Driver in 1985.
- Clemson has scored at least one rushing touchdown in a national-best 78 of its 82 games since the start of the 2018 season. Clemson has also rushed for multiple touchdowns in a national-best 65 games in that span.
- Running back Will Shipley led Clemson with 132 all-purpose yards.
- Shipley recorded a then-season-long 34-yard kickoff return on the game’s opening kickoff.
- Shipley added a new season-long kickoff return with a 60-yard return in the fourth quarter.
- With 94 kickoff return yards in the game, Shipley(904) entered the Top 10 in Clemson history in career kickoff return yards, passing Warren Ratchford (848 from 1974-78) for 10th.
- Shipley’s 94 kickoff return yards were the second-most of his career, trailing his 107 against Pitt in 2021.
- Tight end Jake Briningstool led Clemson in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (91).
