The Tigers ended their 2023 season with a 38-35 thriller over Kentucky in Jacksonville in an unbelievable and crazy epic win with 42 points scored in the 4th Quarter and too many plays to count. Cade Klubnik led Clemson to 68 yards on the final drive with Phil Mafah scoring the winning touchdown. “Unbelievable game. One nobody deserves to lose. We found a way, we found a way to win”, Dabo said. “These guys strained and put their hearts into what they were doing. It was just great to see.”
Here’s the game recap.
Kentucky led 7-3 after the first quarter and during those 15 minutes, star running back Ray Davis nearly outgained Clemson’s whole offense. The Tigers mustered off 58 total yards in the 1st quarter.
Clemson’s best drive came midway in the 2nd quarter. Cade Klubnik dropped dimes of 14 and 28 yards to set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Mafah.
The Tigers at one time were back up into a 3rd and 23rd which converted to a 4th and 5 to drive 70 yards that spanned 6:35 and ended with Mafah’s one-yard touchdown run to start the 4th quarter. The 4th quarter was so wild that Kentucky’s B Brown’s 100-yard touchdown kickoff return at the beginning became an afterthought. Everything that transpired inside EveryBank Stadium in the final 15 minutes of Football ranks up there as one of the best and most exciting endings in post-game history! Especially if you’re a Clemson fan.
With this win, Clemson extended their winning streak to 5 games and finished the season at 9-4. That’s remarkable considering Clemson started 2-2 in the first month of the season. The Loss however drops Kentucky to 7-6 after the Wildcats started the Season 5-0.
The 42 points in the 4th quarter is a Gator Bowl record. The Tigers broke the record with 28 points of its own. The game became a rollercoaster as it went on and ended as probably the greatest Gator Bowl ever. The turning
point and telling point was Mafah’s four rushing touchdowns; another Gator Bowl Record. What a way to end the season. As Dabo stated after the game Clemson’s stock is up and that leaves a good feeling in my mind as we end another season. A season I enjoyed even though we missed the Playoffs.
The best is yet to come so rest up Tigers! Georgia will show up in late August of the 2024 season.
Written by: Josh J Starnes
Founder and Owner of I Bleed Orange Sports Network
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