| Game Name: | Gator Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | December 30 |
| Year Game Played: | 1977 |
| Football Season: | 1977 |
| Stadium: | Gator Bowl Stadium |
| City: | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Visitor School: | University of Pittsburgh |
| Visitor Name Short: | Pittsburgh |
| Visitor Nickname: | Panthers |
| Visitor Record: | 8–2–1 |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 10 |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | 9 |
| Visitor Coach: | Jackie Sherrill |
| Visitor Conference: | Independent |
| Visitor 1Q: | 10 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 10 |
| Home School: | Clemson University |
| Home Name Short: | Clemson |
| Home Nickname: | Tigers |
| Home Record: | 8–2–1 |
| Home Rank Ap: | 11 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 10 |
| Home Coach: | Charley Pell |
| Home Conference: | ACC |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 3 |
| Home 3Q: | 0 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Mvp: | Matt Cavanaugh (QB, Pitt) & Jerry Butler (SE, Clemson)[1] |
| Referee: | James M. Artley (SEC) |
| Attendance: | 72,289 |
| Us Network: | ABC |
| Us Announcers: | Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles |
The 1977 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Clemson Tigers on December 30, 1977. The 10th-ranked Panthers defeated the 11th-ranked Tigers, 34–3. Panthers quarterback Matt Cavanaugh broke the Gator Bowl record for passing yards with 387 yards, breaking the previous record of 362 yards set by Florida State's Kim Hammond in 1967.[2]