Clemson's Updated Bowl Projections After Beating the Gamecocks

The Clemson Tigers’ regular season has officially come to an end after securing a 28-14 win over the in-state rival South Carolina Gamecocks this past Saturday. After their worst start since 1998, the Tigers closed the year on a high note, ripping off four straight wins to finish 7-5 and roll into the bowl season with the most momentum they’ve had all season.

ESPN staff writer Kyle Bonagura and senior writer Mark Schlabach released their College Football Playoff predictions and bowl game projections on Sunday, following the regular season finale slate. 

Bonagura’s outlook hasn’t shifted much, keeping the same projection that he made two weeks ago following the Tigers’ upset over Louisville: a matchup with Army in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27.

In 2025, the Black Knights opened the season on shaky footing, dropping three of their first four games. They flashed potential with an upset victory over Kansas State, but the start was far from what they hoped for. Since then, though, Army has played its way back into postseason contention, winning five of its last seven, with the two losses coming in one-score games against Tulane and Tulsa.

Army sits at a 6-5 record and sixth in the American Athletic Conference (AAC), with the annual Navy game still ahead on Dec. 13, giving Clemson extra preparation time if this matchup holds. The Black Knights, however, would have the travel advantage. With West Point just a short trip from Boston, Army would be playing practically in its own backyard compared to Clemson’s long haul north.

Schlabach stuck with a similar projection as last week, sending Clemson to El Paso, Texas, for the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, but this time he has the Tigers facing Arizona State instead of Arizona. 

Similar to the Tigers, Arizona State entered the season with high expectations, coming off the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance. The team had its starting quarterback, Sam Leavitt, returning and was ranked as the No. 11 team in the country heading into 2025.

However, the team quickly slipped out of the AP Poll early in the season after a close Week 2 loss to Mississippi State. They later climbed back in during a four-game winning streak that included a win over No. 24 TCU, but the momentum didn’t last.

Leavitt missed the Week 7 matchup against Utah, a 42-10 loss, with a foot injury before returning to lead a 27-22 upset of No. 7 Texas Tech that placed them back in the poll.

Once again, though, the Sun Devils couldn’t sustain the high. They fell to Houston the following week, and Leavitt exited in the fourth quarter with his lingering foot injury. Following the loss, they were back unranked and it was announced that Leavitt would have to undergo season-ending surgery to repair his foot. 

Since his injury, Arizona State has surprisingly gone 3-1 with sixth-year quarterback Jeff Sims stepping up as a starter, accounting for 1,068 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns in the short span. Entering the postseason, the Sun Devils are ranked No. 20 in the country.

Additionally, CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford has Clemson going to Tampa for the Gasparilla Bowl, playing South Florida in the contest. The Bulls put together an impressive 2025 campaign, climbing as high as No. 18 in the AP Poll and finishing 9-3. However, they’ll head into bowl season without head coach Alex Golesh, who recently accepted the Auburn job.