by Rod Pearson
Thursday, Dec 28, 2023
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET, Friday, December 29, 2023
Venue: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Where to Watch: ESPN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Clemson -4.5, Kentucky +4.5; Over/Under: 45 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Clemson -4, Kentucky +4; Over/Under: 45 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Clemson -4.5, Kentucky +4.5; Over/Under: 44.5 points
Season Record
Clemson Tigers: 8-4 (4-4) (7th place, ACC)
Kentucky Wildcats: 7-5 (3-5) (4th place, SEC East)
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Clemson Tigers: won their last game on the road against the South Carolina Gamecocks 16-7.
Kentucky Wildcats: won their last game on the road against the Louisville Cardinals 38-31.
Clemson Tigers vs Kentucky Wildcats Preview and Analysis
Clemson is entering this game with an 8-4 record overall and they have a 4-4 record in their conference games too. They are 6-1 in their home games, 2-3 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against South Carolina 16-7. Cade Klubnik was the starting QB and he completed 15/27 passes for 100 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Phil Mafah led the team in rushing yards with 89. Tyler Brown led the receivers with 40 receiving yards on 5 receptions. Nate Wiggins led the defense in that game with 6 solo tackles and 0 assisted tackles while Ruke Orhorhoro and Barrett Carter each led the defense in sacks with 1. Khalil Barnes came away with the only interception for them in that game.
Kentucky is entering this game with a 7-5 record overall and they have a 3-5 record in their conference games too. They are 4-3 in their home games, 3-2 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at a neutral site for this game. They won their last game against Louisville 38-31. Devin Leary was the starting QB and he completed 12/22 passes for 206 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Re'Mahn Davis led the team in rushing yards with 76 and 1 TD. Izayah Cummings led the receivers with 55 receiving yards on 1 receptions. J.J. Weaver led the defense in that game with 8 solo tackles and 0 assisted tackles while J.J. Weaver and Josaih Hayes each led the defense in sacks with 1. Jordan Lovett came away with the only interception for them in that game.
Clemson vs Kentucky Prediction
The current betting odds have Clemson listed as a 4.5 point favorite in this Gator Bowl game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Clemson has looked good in their games this season with their 8-4 record overall but they haven't been as good as they would like to be after falling off from the National stage over the last few years. They looked a lot better as the season went on, getting stronger toward the end, and they will be looking to use this game as a way to start next year off on a positive note. Meanwhile, Kentucky has looked alright with their 7-5 record overall but they really struggled a lot in their conference games as they started to face tougher teams. They did manage to get a nice win over Louisville in their last game of the season but they haven't looked good in their other games over the last month. Clemson didn't have the season they were hoping for but this is their chance to finish the year strong and build with the players they are going to have next year. Kentucky also has a lot more players entering the transfer portal than Clemson does. The best way to place a bet here is on Clemson to cover the spread in this game.
Clemson Kentucky Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Friday, December 29, 2023 (12:00 pm ET start time) is Clemson 28 Kentucky 17.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
Clemson Tigers: 1-6 ATS off 2 or more consecutive unders. 3-12 ATS after allowing 14 points or less last game. 7-13 ATS after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers. 22-10 UNDER in a bowl game. 11-0 UNDER on a neutral field where the total is between 42.5 and 49. 15-5 UNDER after a game where they committed 1 or less turnovers.
Kentucky Wildcats: 22-15 ATS in all games. 10-5 ATS against ACC opponents. 5-1 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points. 11-4 UNDER in a bowl game. 8-3 UNDER as a neutral field underdog. 8-3 UNDER after a road game where both teams score 31 points or more.
Key Injuries
Clemson Tigers: A. Williams (WR) Prob Fri - Toe. M. Tate (OL) Ques Fri - Knee. J. Phillips (S) Ques Fri - Undisclosed. B. Spector (WR) Prob Fri - Undisclosed. B. Collins (WR) Ques Fri - Foot. R. Hanafin (WR) Ques Fri - Foot. S. Ennis (TE) out for season - Knee. J. Haynes (RB) Out indefinitely - Ankle. W. Parks (OL) out for season - Lower Body. M. Kelley (WR) out for season - Redshirt. V. Burley (DT) out for season - Knee. C. Turner (WR) out for season - Hip.
Kentucky Wildcats: J. Dingle (TE) Ques Fri - Undisclosed. J. Kattus (TE) Ques Fri - Undisclosed. B. Christman (OL) out for season - Knee. J. Wilcox (RB) Out indefinitely - Hamstring. L. Wright (RB) Out indefinitely - Undisclosed. N. Hall (OL) out for season - Undisclosed.
Notable Quotes
“Really proud of my players. Great, great response by all these guys.” - Dabo Swinney after his team’s win against South Carolina in their last game of the college football regular season.
“It was nice to see Ray run like Ray and get tough difficult yards, critical yards. For this team to pick itself up after falling down is a credit to this team.” - Mark Stoops after his team’s win against Louisville in their last game of the college football regular season.
Starting Lineups
Clemson Tigers
WR Stellato, Troy
WR Randall, Adam
WR Brown, Tyler
TE Briningstool, Jake
QB Klubnik, Cade
RB Shipley, Will
Kentucky Wildcats
WR Key, Dane
WR Brown, Barion
WR Robinson, Tayvion
TE Bates, Brenden
QB Leary, Devin
RB Davis, Ray
Statistical Leaders
Clemson Tigers
Passing: C. Klubnik (2580)
Rushing: P. Mafah (894)
Receiving: T. Brown (519)
Touchdowns: P. Mafah (9)
Kentucky Wildcats
Passing: D. Leary (2440)
Rushing: R. Davis (1066)
Receiving: D. Key (553)
Touchdowns: R. Davis (20)
Coaches:
Clemson Tigers: Dabo Swinney (16th season)
Kentucky Wildcats: Mark Stoops (11th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
