Boston? New York? Latest Clemson bowl projections after Louisville win

Bowl projections are rolling in for the Clemson football team after coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers improved to 5-5 with Friday night’s win at No. 20 Louisville.

The Tigers host FCS Furman on Saturday and have a 98.9% chance of winning, per ESPN’s FPI, putting them in the driver’s seat for six wins and a 20th consecutive bowl appearance. Here are the latest projections as of Monday:

The Athletic’s Clemson bowl projection

• Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State (Big 12)
• Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas
• Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, 2 p.m. ET (CBS)

The Athletic’s full bowl projections

ESPN’s Clemson bowl projections

• Fenway Bowl vs. Army (American) OR South Florida (American)
• Fenway Park in Boston
• Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, 2:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

ESPN’s full bowl projections

CBS Sports’ Clemson bowl projection

• Pinstripe Bowl vs. Northwestern (Big Ten)
• Yankee Stadium in New York City
• Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, noon ET (ABC)

CBS Sports’ full bowl projections

On3 Sports’ Clemson bowl projection

• Sun Bowl vs. Arizona (Big 12)
• Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas
• Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, 2 p.m. ET (CBS)

On3 Sports’ full bowl projections

Sports Illustrated’s Clemson bowl projection

• Military Bowl vs. South Florida (American)
• Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
• Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, 11 a.m. ET (ESPN)

Sports Illustrated’s full bowl projections

Athlon Sports’ Clemson bowl projection

• Pinstripe Bowl vs. Illinois (Big Ten)
• Yankee Stadium in New York City
• Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, noon ET (ABC)

Athlon Sports’ full bowl projections

Refresher on bowl game tie-ins for Clemson, ACC

The ACC has formal affiliations with 10 different bowl games for the 2025 season.

Once the College Football Playoff field is set on Sunday, Dec. 7 (likely including one ACC team), the conference and its bowl partners will select other games “based on several factors, including avoiding repeat appearances and matchups, regular-season win-loss records, and geographic proximity,” per the ACC.

Here are the ACC’s bowl game “tiers” for 2025:

• Group I: Holiday Bowl, Pop-Tarts Bowl, Gator Bowl
• Group II: Pinstripe Bowl, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Sun Bowl
• Group III: Military Bowl, Fenway Bowl, Birmingham Bowl, Gasparilla Bowl

Clemson is expected to fall into a second- or third-tier bowl game.

This story was originally published November 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM.

Chapel Fowler

The State

Chapel Fowler, the NSMA’s 2024 South Carolina Sportswriter of the Year, has covered Clemson football and other topics for The State since summer 2022. His work’s also been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the South Carolina Press Association and the North Carolina Press Association. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill alum and a pickup basketball enthusiast. Support my work with a digital subscription