What bowl game will Clemson football be playing in this season?
The Tigers became bowl eligible for the 28th consecutive season with an 18-13 win over Syracuse at JMA Wireless Dome in Week 10. Because of that, Dabo Swinney's team has a new postseason projection from USA TODAY Sports.
In his latest bowl game and playoff projections entering Week 11, college football analyst Erick Smith sees the Tigers (6-3) returning to Jacksonville to play in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 30.
Clemson's opponent, Smith projects, will be the Oklahoma Sooners (5-4), led by former Swinney assistant and longtime defensive coordinator Brent Venables. The Sooners just visited the Sunshine State in Week 10 and used a suffocating Venables defense to defeat the Florida Gators,
23-7, in Gainesville.
A matchup with Oklahoma would be the third meeting between the Tigers and Sooners with Swinney as head coach. It would be the first head-to-head coaching matchup between Swinney and Venables.
Clemson defeated Oklahoma, 40-6, in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando, one year before the Tigers crushed the Sooners 37-17 in the Orange Bowl at the College Football Playoff semifinals. The win over Oklahoma that night in Miami started Clemson's run of four national championship game appearances in five seasons between 2015-19.
Clemson has a long history with the Gator Bowl, having played in the annual postseason event more often than any other bowl game in school history. Clemson has made 10 overall appearances in the Gator Bowl.
The Tigers last played in the Gator Bowl in 2023 when Cade Klubnik and the offense rallied for 28 points in the fourth quarter of a thrilling 38-35 come-from-behind win over the Kentucky Wildcats.
In the meantime, Clemson will look to stay in the win column in Week 11 when the Tigers host ACC rival Georgia Tech (2-7). Kickoff is 12:30 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on The CW.
ESPN predicts the final score of Clemson football vs. Georgia Tech
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) November 12, 2026
📸 Brett Davis, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect https://t.co/98Wcoquaeb pic.twitter.com/wh8pTglQ3I
Clemson football schedule 2026
All times Eastern.
- Sept. 5: at LSU Tigers (L, 51-10)
- Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern Eagles (W, 22-7)
- Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (W, 28-20)
- Sept. 25: at California Golden Bears (W, 24-10)
- Oct. 3: vs. Miami Hurricanes (L, 41-13)
- Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers (W, 37-0)
- Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (L, 20-16)
- Oct. 31: at Florida State Seminoles (W, 36-24)
- Nov. 7: at Syracuse Orange (W, 18-13)
- Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 12:30 p.m., The CW
- Nov. 20: at Duke Blue Devils, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, TBA
Record: 6-3, 4-2 ACC.
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney unhappy with loss of conference championship games
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) November 12, 2026
📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network , USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect https://t.co/0VZOKGVuQY pic.twitter.com/L5Dyxs6foE
Contact us at @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: USA TODAY Sports projects Clemson football bowl game vs. familiar face
