Clemson hopes to continue late-season turnaround against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl
FILE – Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney runs onto the field before an NCAA college football game against North Carolina Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. Clemson tries to end its worst season since 2010 with a five-game winning streak when it plays Kentucky in the Gator Bowl.(AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman,File)
(AP) — Clemson was at a crossroads in late October, its season on the verge of unraveling following consecutive one-score losses to Miami and North Carolina State.
At 4-4 and long removed from the College Football Playoff picture and the Atlantic Coast Conference championship race, the Tigers had a decision to make.
“That could have gone one of two ways,” quarterback Cade Klubnik said. “We decided we’re not going to quit on these seniors, we’re not going to quit on the guys next to us. Just put our hands in the dirt, kept working and said, ‘Let’s go win the first one.’
“We won that one and the next one and the next one and the next one. Here we are at 8-4.”
And now the Tigers have a chance to end their worst season since 2010 with a five-game winning streak and a victory against Kentucky (7-5) in the Gator Bowl on Friday.
“It just shows that we have no quit,” running back Phil Mafah said. “When our backs are against the wall, we’re going to respond. We’re going to respond no matter what we face.”
The Tigers upset Notre Dame and knocked off Georgia Tech, North Carolina and rival South Carolina to salvage what had looked like it was going to be coach Dabo Swinney’s worst season in 15 years at Clemson.
“I’ve been through some much tougher seasons than being 8-4 and getting to go to the Gator Bowl. That is for dang sure,” Swinney said. “We certainly had some disappointment this year: double-overtime loss, overtime loss, four trips inside the 10 at Duke and couldn’t get a point. That’s a little football adversity, but that’s the story of this season.
“You learn a lot about people when things don’t go your way.”
WILLIAMS RETURNS
Clemson receiver Antonio Williams, who led the team with 56 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2022, will play for the first time since October. Williams missed the last five games and eight of the past nine because of ankle and toe injuries.
Since he only played in four games this season, NCAA rules allow him to play in the bowl game and still take a medical redshirt.
“It’s a blessing, to be honest,” Williams said. “I’ve taken just being on the field for granted, and I learned that this year. It’s just good to be back out here and play football.”
Williams’ return comes after junior Beaux Collins entered the transfer portal and switched to Notre Dame. Williams will pair with freshman All-American Tyler Brown to give the Tigers a glimpse of what their receiving corps will look like in 2024.
“I can’t wait until next year,” said Brown, who led Clemson with 51 catches for 519 yards and four scores this season.
