The 2023 Gator Bowl features the 8-4 Clemson Tigers against the 7-5 Kentucky Wildcats. Here is the 2023 Gator Bowl Preview.
Clemson Tigers (8-4)
Clemson won eight games this season to qualify for their 19th straight bowl game. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams this season: Syracuse, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. All four of their losses were to bowl-eligible teams.
The Tigers score 29.2 points per game, ranking them 56th in the country. They pass for 225.4 yards (ranked 63rd) and rush for 180.3 yards per game (ranked 39th).
Cade Klubnik took over the starting job for his first full season this year. He passed for 2,580 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 63 percent completion. The Tigers have six players who had over 200 receiving yards on the season. Second-leading receiver Beaux Collins is transferring, but Tyler Brown is playing in the game after leading the team with 519 yards and four touchdowns.
Two running backs have stood out for Clemson this season. Phil Mafah has led the team in rushing with 894 yards and nine touchdowns. The starter is Will Shipley, who finished the regular season with 798 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Tigers allow 19.9 points per game, ranking them 23rd in the country. They concede 116.5 rushing yards (ranked 25th) and 162.2 passing yards per game (ranked fifth). Their leading tackler Jeremiah Trotter is opting out of this game, which leaves Barrett Carter with the team-high in tackles with 59. Trotter led the team with 5.5 sacks and the Tigers will also be without Ruke Orhorhoro who had five. T.J. Parker had five as well, but will be active for this game. Nate Wiggins and Andrew Mukuba each had six passes defended, but aren’t playing in this game. Khalil Barnes may have to make more plays on the ball after registering six passes defended and three interceptions this season.
Kentucky Wildcats (7-5)
Kentucky won seven games this season to make their eighth straight bowl game. They defeated one team that made a bowl game: Louisville. Their lone loss to a team that didn’t qualify for a bowl game was to South Carolina.
The Wildcats score 28.6 points per game, ranking 58th in the FBS. They pass for 203.8 yards (ranked 95th) and rush for 130.7 yards per game (ranked 96th).
NC State transfer Devin Leary has started at quarterback for Kentucky this season. He passed for 2,440 yards, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 56.3 percent completion. Four players have at least 300 receiving yards for Kentucky this season. Dane Key, Barion Brown and Tayvion Robinson are a solid trio with 553, 507 and 439 receiving yards this season respectively.
The bell-cow back for the Wildcats is former Temple and Vanderbilt player Ray Davis. Davis has rushed for 1,066 yards and 13 touchdowns. He declared for the NFL Draft, but will play in the game. Two other running backs will be active for this game after rushing for over 100 yards this season.
Kentucky’s defense allows 24.8 points per game, ranking 58th in the country. They give up 113.9 rushing yards (ranked 24th) and 238.5 passing yards per game (ranked 87th). D’Eryk Jackson leads the team with 81 total tackles this season. Their top pass rusher is Deone Walker from the interior with 5.5 sacks. Maxwell Hairston has made plenty of plays on the ball this season with six passes defended and five interceptions.
Prediction
Kentucky had a streaky offense this season and it will be hard to move the ball for them, even with some defenders not suiting up for Clemson. The Tigers still will have both running backs for this game and can create space on the ground to end up winning the game.
Clemson Tigers 28 Kentucky Wildcats 20
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/college-football/2023-gator-bowl-preview/2023/12/15/
