Clemson rallies to beat Kentucky 38-35 in wild Gator Bowl

Clemson finished the Gator Bowl on Friday just like it did the season: with a flourish.

Phil Mafah ran for four touchdowns, including a 3-yarder with 17 seconds to play, and the Tigers rallied to beat Kentucky 38-35 in one of the wildest Gator Bowls to date and ended the year with a five-game winning streak.

Mafah scored three times in a back-and-forth final quarter that included five turnovers, four touchdowns and five lead changes. Clemson (9-4) outscored Kentucky 28-14 over the last 15 minutes.

Kentucky (7-6) had a final chance, but Devin Leary’s first-down pass was intercepted by Justin Mascoll.

“A very difficult loss. Terrific football game,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “We faced a lot of adversity and overcame it. Mistakes and turnovers, penalties, there was a lot of things that you’re not very proud of.”

Mafah finished with 71 yards on 11 carries. Klubnik completed 30 of 41 passes for 264 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.

Clemson trailed 21-10 after Kentucky’s Barion Brown, who scored three touchdowns three different ways, returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards. The Wildcats looked like they would roll from there, but they turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions in the fourth.

Clemson took advantage and grabbed a 27-21 lead on Mafah’s third TD run.

Brown responded with a 60-yard TD catch that put UK back out front 28-27. It was short-lived because Will Shipley returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to set up Jonathan Weitz’s field goal — a 52-yarder that hit the crossbar and bounced over.

The Wildcats answered, though. Leary connected with Jordan Dingle for 72 yards on the next play, setting up Ray Davis’ 1-yard scoring run.

“I’m proud to have played that game,” said Davis, who played despite turning pro. “The rest of my life I’m going to be able to remember that and be able to know that I was part of a very historical game in a sense of just back and forth and ups and downs, highs and lows and knowing whenever adversity struck, we stepped up to the plate.” 

Davis played well in a game he easily could have skipped. He had a 43-yard scamper in the first half that set up a touchdown and finished with 63 yards on the ground. The Wildcats have to replace Davis, who totaled 1,383 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.



Photo: UK's Barion Brown returned the second half kickoff 100 yards for the score. (ESPN)