2023 Gator Bowl Betting Lines - Clemson vs. Kentucky Odds

Gator Bowl Lines - Clemson vs. Kentucky Odds

Clemson will take on Kentucky on December 29th in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Earlier bowl projections had the Tigers either heading to San Diego or New York for their postseason game. Still, after the College Football Playoff dust settled and Florida State was left out, the Gator Bowl made Clemson one of their top priorities. After starting the season at 4-4, losing back-to-back games to Miami and NC State, Clemson's season faced an interesting fork in the road. Players could have left the team, preparing for the NFL Draft, and Clemson would've potentially missed a bowl. Instead, the Tigers took the other path, galvanizing their team and fanbase and ripping off four wins in a row, including victories over North Carolina and Notre Dame, to finish the year.

2023 Gator Bowl at a Glance

Date: Friday, December 29, 2023

Time (ET) / TV: 12:00 PM / ESPN

Venue: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

Matchup: Clemson Tigers vs. Kentucky Wildcats

College Football Betting Lines

Clemson Tigers -7

Kentucky Wildcats +7

Total: 46.5

Money Line: Clemson -255, Kentucky +211

Gator Bowl Preview

Last game, the Kentucky Wildcats won 38-31 against the Louisville Cardinals as 7.5-point road dogs. The game went over the total of 50.5. Kentucky has a record of 7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread, and 8-4 over/under the total. Kentucky ranks 100th for total offense, 95th for passing, 96th for rushing and 59th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 44th overall, 85th against the pass, 26th against the rush, and 59th for points allowed. Also, Kentucky ranks 63rd for fewest turnovers lost and 71st for takeaways.

Kentucky started the season 5-0 before being trounced by Georgia. The Wildcats would lose five of their next six, with their lone victory coming over Mississippi State. They did finish the season strong, taking down Louisville 38-31 a week before the ACC Championship appearance.

Last game, the Clemson Tigers won 16-7 against South Carolina as 7.5-point road favorites. The game went under the total of 50. Clemson has a record of 8-4 straight up, 6-6 against the spread, and 5-7 over/under the total. Clemson ranks 52nd for total offense, 63rd for passing, 41st for rushing, and 56th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 6th overall, 5th against the pass, 26th against the rush, and 24th for points allowed. Also, Clemson ranks 131st for fewest turnovers lost and 19th for takeaways.

Gator Bowl Prediction

Clemson is 5-8 all-time against Kentucky, winning the most recent matchup in 2009 in the Music City Bowl to cap off Dabo Swinney's first year at the helm for Clemson. In this situation, Clemson has momentum and a stronger roster.

Gator Bowl Format

Although it has never been a top-tier bowl, the Gator Bowl has a long tradition of great teams and games. Currently, the Gator Bowl has conference tie-ins with the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten, and TaxSlayer has been the title sponsor since 2012.

The Gator Bowl was held at Gator Bowl Stadium every year from 1946 through 1993. After a year at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, it returned to the refurbished TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, in 1995.

Gator Bowl Past Results

The Gator Bowl in 2021 was closer than the final score indicated, as Wake Forest led 20-10 at the half and 23-10 after three quarters. A couple of late scores by the Demon Deacons made it look worse for Rutgers than it was.

IN 2022, Notre Dame supplied a power-brand win and audience.

2023-24 College Football Bowl Games

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