Clemson football’s latest bowl projections trending up after South Carolina win

Clemson football earned a big rivalry win on Saturday, beating South Carolina on the road 28-14 to finish the regular season 7-5 and on a four-game win streak.

That success has shifted Clemson’s bowl projections heading into conference title game weekend, as multiple outlets are now projecting the Tigers to rise into a second-tier (or even a first-tier) ACC-affiliated bowl game.

Here are the latest projections as of Monday for Dabo Swinney’s team:

The Athletic’s 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)

The Athletic’s full bowl projections

ESPN’s Clemson bowl projections

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

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

ESPN’s full bowl projections

CBS Sports’ Clemson bowl projection

• Gasparilla Bowl vs. South Florida (American)
• Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida
• Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

CBS Sports’ full bowl projections

On3 Sports’ 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)

On3 Sports’ full bowl projections

Sports Illustrated’s Clemson bowl projection

• Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Missouri (SEC)
• Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC
• Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, 8 p.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

Sporting News’ Clemson bowl projection

• Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Arizona (Big 12)
• Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida
• Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Sporting News’ 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, the conference and its bowl partners will select teams “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

Eleven of the ACC’s 17 teams (65%) are bowl-eligible this season. That includes Virginia and Duke, who will play in Saturday’s ACC championship game in Charlotte.

This story was originally published December 1, 2025 at 9:58 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