Clemson might not be gunning for a playoff spot, but the Tigers can still end the year with a bowl win over a very good team. At 9-3, there are quite a few options available for Clemson as they jockey for the best Bowl available...but it's starting to sound like the Citrus Bowl Citrus (January 1 in Orlando, FL) is where they're likely headed.
A Citrus Bowl appearance means Clemson will be matching up against an SEC opponent...while a Big 12 or Big 10 team might be an easier ask, the Tigers (and their recruiting staff) won't complain about the opportunity to prove themselves against team from the 'better' conference (even if you don't agree that the SEC is on top right now, keep in mind that public perception is the real factor in play here). Here are the three teams Clemson is most likely to face:
Ole Miss
Ole Miss might have fallen out of the playoff race, but they're still dangerous - just look at their win over previous #4 Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. With their regular season over, Ole Miss has a few bowl options...but the Citrus Bowl would definitely be more appealing to them than the TaxSlayer Bowl on January 2.
Senior QB Bo Wallace is solid, but nothing to write home about, and the real danger of playing Ole Miss comes from their dominant defense. The Rebels are allowing the fewest points per game in the nation, and with a lot of questions at QB after Deshaun Watson's injury, the Tigers would need playmakers like WR Mike Williams to step up.
This would be a fun matchup from a historical standpoint - these two teams have only played twice, with their most recent matchup coming in 1933 (Clemson lost 13-0). Is it time for the Tigers to take some (very belated) revenge?
Missouri
If the Tigers win the SEC championship game to Alabama, their bowl bid changes significantly. If they lose (which they're heavily favored to do), they'll likely end up in the Citrus, the Outback, or the Belk Bowl.
Mizzou is once again fielding a dominant defense, but their offense is on the rise. Sophomore quarterback Maty Mauk still struggles with accuracy, but the effective running back tandem of Marcus Murphy and Russell Hansbrough is finding success. Clemson had trouble containing Georgia Tech on the ground, but that's Tech's entire offense - Mizzou's attack is much more traditional.
These teams have met just four times - Clemson leads the all-time series 3-1, with an emphatic 62-9 victory in their last meeting back in 2000.
Georgia
Georgia fans are still wondering what their season would have looked like without Todd Gurley's suspension and injury...but they won't have any time for that against Clemson. Nick Chubb is a VERY capable backup, the Bulldogs still have an explosive offense and a top-25 defense.
The Bulldogs are probably the most difficult draw out of Clemson's options, and they came out on top easily in a 45-21 blowout when these teams met earlier in the season. Clemson actually hung with the Bulldogs in the first half, going up 21-14 midway through the second quarter...but then Todd Gurley returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to the house, and it was one-way traffic from there.
Going back to 1991, Clemson has lost 6 of their 7 games against UGA, and the all-time series is also in Georgia's favor - Clemson has won 18, lost 41, and tied 4. For Dabo Swinney and the Tigers, though, there's no time to change that like the present.
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