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{{short description|College Football Bowl Subdivision team; member of Atlantic Coast Conference}} | |||
{{current sport-related|image=AmericanFootball current event.svg|mini=1|2008 Clemson Tigers football team}} | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}} | |||
{{Infobox college football team | |||
{{underconstruction}} | |||
{{NCAAFootballSchool | |||
| CurrentSeason = | |||
| TeamName = Clemson Tigers football | | TeamName = Clemson Tigers football | ||
| CurrentSeason = 2024 Clemson Tigers football team | |||
| Image = Clemson-University-claw-logo.png | |||
| Image = Clemson Tigers logo.svg | |||
| ImageSize = 150 | | ImageSize = 150 | ||
| FirstYear = ]; {{Years or months ago|1896}} | |||
| HeadCoachDisplay = Tommy Bowden | |||
| |
| LastYear = | ||
| AthleticDirector = ] | |||
| HeadCoachYear = 9th | |||
| |
| HeadCoach = ] | ||
| |
| HeadCoachYear = 15th | ||
| |
| HCWins = 180 <!-- As of games through 9/22/24--> | ||
| |
| HCLosses = 47 <!-- As of games through 9/22/24--> | ||
| |
| HCTies = | ||
| Stadium = ] | |||
| StadCapacity = 82,000 | |||
| FieldName = ] | |||
| StadiumBuilt = 1942 | |||
| StadSurface = Natural Grass | | StadSurface = Natural Grass | ||
| Traditions = ], ], ], | |||
| Location = Clemson, South Carolina | |||
| Location = ] | |||
| ConferenceDisplay= ACC | |||
| NCAAdivision = I FBS | |||
| ConferenceLink = Atlantic Coast Conference | |||
| |
| Conference = ] | ||
| PastAffiliations = ] (SIAA) (1896–1921)<br />] (SoCon) (1921–1952) | |||
| FirstYear = 1896 | |||
| ATWins = 804<!-- As of games through 10/19/24--> | |||
| AthlDirectorDisp = | |||
| ATLosses = 473<!-- As of games through 9/8/24--> | |||
| AthlDirectorLink = Terry Don Philips | |||
| |
| ATTies = 44 | ||
| |
| BowlWins = 27 | ||
| |
| BowlLosses = 23 | ||
| WebsiteURL = http://www.clemsontigers.com | |||
| ATWins = 625 | |||
| ATLosses = 426 | |||
| ATTies = 45 | |||
| ATPercentage = .591 | |||
| BowlWins = 15 | |||
| BowlLosses = 15 | |||
| BowlTies = | | BowlTies = | ||
| PlayoffApps = 7 (], ''']''', ], ''']''', ], ], ]) | |||
| NatlTitles = 1 | |||
| Playoffs = ''6–4 ''({{Winning percentage|6|4}}) | |||
| ConfTitles = 18 | |||
| NatlTitles = 3 (], ], ]) | |||
| UnNatlTitles = 0 | |||
| NatlFinalist = ''4'' (], ], ], ]) | |||
| ConfTitles = | |||
''28 '''TOTAL''''' | |||
ACC: 22 | |||
SIAA: 5 | |||
SoCon: 2 | |||
| DivTitles = 9 | |||
| Rivalries = ] (])<br />] (])<br />] (])<br />] (])<br />] (])<br />] (]) | |||
<br />] (]) | |||
| Heismans = | | Heismans = | ||
| AllAmericans = | | AllAmericans = 31 | ||
| |
| uniform = ] | ||
| Color1Hex = FF6300 | |||
| Color2 = Purple | |||
| Color2Hex = 330066 | |||
| FightSong = ] | | FightSong = ] | ||
| |
| Mascot = The Tiger | ||
| MarchingBand = ] | |||
| MascotLink = | |||
| |
| PagFreeLabel = Outfitter | ||
| |
| PagFreeValue = ] | ||
| |
| WebsiteName = clemsontigers.com | ||
| WebsiteURL = https://clemsontigers.com/sports/football/ | |||
| PagFreeLabel = Rival | |||
| PagFreeValue = ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
The ] are a ] program that competes in the ] and the Atlantic Division of the ]. | |||
The '''Clemson Tigers football''' program are the ] team at ]. The Tigers compete in the ] ] (FBS) of the ] (NCAA) of the ] (ACC). In recent years, the Tigers have been ranked among the most elite college football programs in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=College Football Playoff |url=http://collegefootballplayoff.com/rankings.aspx |access-date=January 7, 2019 |website= |archive-date=November 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104061743/http://collegefootballplayoff.com/rankings.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Whicker |first=Mark |date=2017-01-05 |title=Clemson crashing the party of elite football schools |url=http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170105/clemson-crashing-the-party-of-elite-football-schools |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125042/https://www.dailynews.com/2017/01/05/clemson-crashing-the-party-of-elite-football-schools/ |archive-date=April 29, 2022 |access-date=January 7, 2019 |website=Los Angeles Daily News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/29/sports/clemson-notre-dame-playoff.html|title=Clemson Crushes Notre Dame to Reach Its 3rd National Title Game in 4 Seasons|last=Tracy|first=Marc|date=December 29, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 7, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106022643/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/29/sports/clemson-notre-dame-playoff.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Formed in 1896, the program has an all-time record of 804–473–44,<ref></ref> with a bowl record of 27-23. Clemson was a ] finalist in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, defeating Alabama in both 2016 and 2018 to secure the national title. Clemson has had six undefeated seasons (including the first-ever 15–0 team), boasted six consecutive playoff appearances from 2015 to 2021, and retains 27 conference championships, ]. Its alumni include over 100 ], 17 ]s and ] players in the ].<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Clemson Football Media Guide|url=http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/28500/pdf/football/2015-16/2015ClemsonFootballGuide.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=28500|publisher=Clemson University|access-date=October 28, 2015|page=51|format=PDF|year=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726202545/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/28500/pdf/football/2015-16/2015ClemsonFootballGuide.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=28500|archive-date=July 26, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Clemson Media Guide & Supplement |url=http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071911aab.html |publisher=Clemson Sports Information |access-date=July 22, 2011 |pages=182–188, 190–194 |year=2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503102550/http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071911aab.html |archive-date= May 3, 2012 }}</ref> Clemson has had eight members inducted into the ]: players ], ], ], and ] along with coaches ], ], ], and ]. | |||
Clemson is one of the founding members of the ACC and holds 22 ACC titles, the most of any member. Its 28 total conference titles, including six consecutive ACC titles from 2015 to 2020, are the most of any ACC school. Clemson's most recent ACC title came in 2024, against SMU. Clemson's streak of eleven consecutive 10-win seasons from 2011-2022 ranked second in active streaks behind the ], coming to an end after Clemson's 2023 season where they finished with a 9-4 record.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2019/1/4/18164629/alabama-clemson-playoff-championship-history|title=Bama-Clemson is among America's best sports duopolies ever|last=Bird|first=Michael|date=January 4, 2019|website=SBNation.com|access-date=January 7, 2019|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107124421/https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2019/1/4/18164629/alabama-clemson-playoff-championship-history|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Gilliland |first=Zach |date=2014-12-29 |title=Russell Athletic Bowl 2014: Live Score, Highlights for Oklahoma vs. Clemson |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2313812-russell-athletic-bowl-2014-live-score-highlights-for-oklahoma-vs-clemson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025022106/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2313812-russell-athletic-bowl-2014-live-score-highlights-for-oklahoma-vs-clemson |archive-date=October 25, 2017 |access-date=January 11, 2017 |website=]}}</ref> Among its eight undefeated regular seasons, Clemson has been crowned national champion 3 times. Clemson was named poll-era national champion and finished with its third perfect season with a win over Nebraska in the ]. Clemson was the ] with a 14–1 record in 2015 before winning the National Title over No. 1 Alabama in college football's first ] in 2016, and again in 2018. The Tigers have 46 bowl appearances, 20 of which are among the ] Bowls, including nine during the "Big Four" era. Clemson has 34 finishes in the final top 25 in the modern era and it finished in either the Associated Press final poll or the coaches' final poll a combined 59 times since 1939. | |||
The Tigers play their home games in ] on the university's ] campus. The stadium's nickname, "Death Valley" was coined in 1948 by ] head coach Lonnie McMillan after his teams were routinely defeated there. Memorial Stadium is among the ]. | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
{{main|History of Clemson Tigers football}} | |||
{{See also|List of Clemson Tigers football seasons}} | |||
], the "father of Clemson football"]] | |||
], often regarded as the "father of Clemson football," brought the sport to Clemson from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now ]). The team's first game, played on Halloween 1896, resulted in a 2–1 record for the inaugural season. Riggs influenced the choice of the team mascot and colors. The Tigers’ early success included their first undefeated season in 1900 under coach ], who led the team to a 19–3–2 record. Heisman’s coaching set a precedent for excellence and innovation. | |||
===Early Years: 1896-1940=== | |||
During the mid-20th century, the program experienced substantial growth under ], who coached from 1940 to 1969. Howard's tenure saw Clemson win two Southern Conference championships and six ACC championships. Known for his colorful personality and imaginative storytelling, Howard integrated various offensive formations. His legacy includes the tradition of rubbing "Howard's Rock" before home games and the naming of the playing field at ] as "Frank Howard Field" in 1974. | |||
The late 20th century and early 21st century saw the football program navigate through challenges and successes under multiple head coaches. ] led the Tigers to their first ], achieving an undefeated season. Ford's era was marked by NCAA sanctions due to recruiting violations, which impacted the program's reputation and success. ], Ford’s successor, focused on cleaning up the program's image but faced criticism from fans, leading to his resignation. Subsequent coaches, including ], struggled to achieve consistent success until the hiring of ] in 1999, who maintained bowl eligibility every season, but failed to secure an ACC championship. | |||
===John Heisman Era: 1900-1903=== | |||
] | ]]] | ||
The modern era is defined by the leadership of ], who became head coach in 2008. Swinney revitalized the program, leading the Tigers to multiple ACC championships and two national titles in 2016 and 2018. His tenure has been characterized by significant achievements, including the establishment of Clemson as a perennial contender in the College Football Playoff. Swinney’s ability to recruit and develop talent, combined with strategic hires like offensive coordinator ] and defensive coordinator ], has sustained Clemson’s success. Notably, under Swinney, Clemson became the first team since 1897 to finish a season 15–0. In 2022, Clemson defeated Syracuse 27–21, extending the Tigers' home winning streak to 38, a new ACC record. | |||
''']''' coached the Tigers to their first undefeated season (6-0) in 1900. Heisman stayed only four years at Clemson, where he compiled a record of 19-3-2. Following a 73-0 defeat of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 1903, the Yellow Jackets hired Heisman as their first full-time football coach. | |||
==Conference affiliations== | |||
===Frank Howard Era: 1940-1969=== | |||
* ] (1896–1921) | |||
* ] (1921–1953) | |||
* ] (1953–present) | |||
==Championships== | |||
===Charlie Pell Era: 1977-1978=== | |||
===National championships=== | |||
Clemson claims three ]. In 1981 they finished as the only undefeated team with a 22–15 victory over the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl, and were named the national champions<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Papanek|first=John|title=Year of the Tigers|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125133/1/index.htm|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=September 6, 2011|date=January 11, 1982|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104190434/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125133/1/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> by all major four consensus selectors <ref>{{Cite web |title=Football Bowl Subdivision records |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101032438/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf |archive-date=2020-11-01 |website=NCAA.org |page=101}}</ref> (], ], ], and ]). In 2016 and 2018 they won the ], defeating Alabama in the ] both times. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
===Danny Ford Era: 1978-1989=== | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|Coach|Selector|Record|Bowl|Final AP|Final Coaches}} | |||
On November 21, 1982, the ] at ] was placed on probation for a 2-year period to include the 1983 and 1984 seasons. This sanction was enforced on the program by the NCAA Committee on Infractions due to a lengthy history of recruiting violations to gain an athletic advantage that had taken place from 1977 through the Tigers' ] and into 1982, under the administration of two head coaches, ] and ]. | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || ], ], ], ]<sup>†</sup> || 12–0 || Won ] || '''No. 1''' || '''No. 1''' | |||
|- | |||
| ] || rowspan="2"|] || AP, Coaches, ], NFF<sup>††</sup> || 14–1 || Won ] (CFP Semifinal)<br />Won ] || '''No. 1''' || '''No. 1''' | |||
|- | |||
70 documented violations were found to have been committed under NCAA bylaws in the categories of improper recruiting inducements, extra benefits to student-athletes, ethical conduct, improper financial aid, improper campus visits, improper transportation and entertainment, improper use of funds, improper employment, and improper recruiting contact.<ref name="NCAAinfraction"></ref> | |||
| ] || AP, Coaches, CFP, NFF<sup>†††</sup> || 15–0 || Won ] (CFP Semifinal)<br />Won ] || '''No. 1''' || '''No. 1''' | |||
|- | |||
As a result of these violations, Clemson was publicly reprimanded and censured by the NCAA. The football team was barred from participating in bowl games following the 1982 and 1983 seasons, and barred from appearing on live television in the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Also, the number of scholarships that the university could allocate to football players was restricted to 20 (from the normal limit of 30) for the 1983-84 and 1984-85 academic years. | |||
|} | |||
† Other selectors for 1981 included Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FACT, FB News, Football Research, Helms, Litkenhous, Matthews, National Championship Foundation, New York Times, Poling, Sagarin, and Sporting News<ref>{{cite web|title=Past Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I FBS) National Champions|url=https://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/ncaa/NCAA/Sports%20and%20Championship/General%20Information/ia_football_past_champs.html|publisher=NCAA|access-date=September 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611074306/http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=%2Fncaa%2FNCAA%2FSports%20and%20Championship%2FGeneral%20Information%2Fia_football_past_champs.html|archive-date=June 11, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />†† Other selectors for 2016 include A&H, BR, CCR, CFRA, DuS, MCFR, SR, W<br />††† Other selectors for 2018 include A&H, BR, CCR, CFRA, CM, DuS, MCFR, SR, W | |||
===Conference championships=== | |||
Charles Alan Wright, chairman of the NCAA Committee on Infractions said at the time, "Due to the large number and serious nature of the violations in this case, the committee believed that institutional sanctions related to appearances on television and in postseason football bowl games were appropriate. In addition, because the violations indicated a pattern of improper recruiting activities, the committee determined that a two-year limitation on financial aid to new recruits should be imposed to offset any recruiting advantage that was gained improperly by the university."<ref name="NCAAnews">{{cite journal | |||
Clemson won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1900 and 1902 (tied 1903 and 1906) along with the Southern Conference title in 1940 and 1948.<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 Clemson Football Media Guide|url=http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/28500/pdf/football/2014-15/MediaGuide.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=28500|publisher=Clemson University|access-date=May 16, 2015|page=66|format=PDF|year=2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230042419/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/28500/pdf/football/2014-15/MediaGuide.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=28500|archive-date=December 30, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their 22 ] titles (20 outright, 2 tied) are the most ACC football championships.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018}}{{when|date=April 2018}} In 1965, ] violated participation rules relating to two ineligible players and was required to forfeit wins against North Carolina State and Clemson.<ref name="mediaguidelist">{{cite journal|title=ACC Champions|journal=2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Media Guide (PDF)|publisher=Atlantic Coast Conference|year=2007|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/acc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07fbguide093096.pdf|page=93|access-date=September 5, 2011|archive-date=July 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212605/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/acc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07fbguide093096.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> North Carolina State and Clemson were then declared co-champions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thestate.com/2009/10/11/979470/usc-footballs-lost-title-team.html |title=USC football's lost title team of 1965 |author=Alex Riley |date=October 11, 2009 |newspaper=] |access-date=September 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825081821/http://www.thestate.com/2009/10/11/979470/usc-footballs-lost-title-team.html |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
| date = 1982-11-29 | |||
| title = Clemson placed on probation | |||
| journal = The NCAA News | |||
| volume = 19 | |||
| issue = 28 | |||
| pages = 10 | |||
| publisher = National Collegiate Athletic Association | |||
| issn = | |||
| pmid = | |||
| doi = | |||
| bibcode = | |||
| oclc = | |||
| id = | |||
| url = http://web1.ncaa.org/web_video/NCAANewsArchive/1982/19821129.pdf | |||
| format = PDF | |||
| accessdate = 2008-01-21 | |||
}} Partial quote of the </ref><ref name="NCAApr"></ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
Just five years after their probation ended, Clemson once again found their football program accused of multiple recruiting violations in January 1990.<ref name="NYTreveals">{{cite web | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|Coach|Conference|Overall record|Conference record}} | |||
|url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDA173FF933A25752C0A966958260 | |||
|- | |||
|title = Clemson Reveals It Is Under Inquiry by N.C.A.A. | |||
| ] || rowspan="3"|] || rowspan="4"|] || 6–0 || 4–0 | |||
|accessdate = 2008-01-21 | |||
|- | |||
|author = Associated Press | |||
| ] || 6–1 || 6–0 | |||
|authorlink = Associated Press | |||
|- | |||
|coauthors = | |||
| ]† || 4–1–1 || 2–0–1 | |||
|date = 1990-01-10 | |||
|- | |||
|work = New York Times | |||
| ]† || ] || 4–0–3 || 4–0 | |||
|publisher = The New York Times Company | |||
|- | |||
|archiveurl = | |||
| ] || rowspan="8"|] || rowspan="2"|Southern Conference || 6–2–1 || 4–0 | |||
|archivedate = | |||
|- | |||
|quote = | |||
| ] || 11–0 || 5–0 | |||
}}</ref> The NCAA accused Clemson of giving cash to players and having illegal contact with recruits over a period from 1984 to 1988. In June of 1990, the Tigers found themselves on probation once again, for the second time in less than a decade.<ref name="NYTprobation">{{cite web | |||
|- | |||
|url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0DB1030F932A35755C0A966958260 | |||
| ] || rowspan="22"|] || 7–2–2 || 4–0–1 | |||
|title = Clemson on Probation | |||
|- | |||
|accessdate = 2008-01-21 | |||
| ] || 8–3 || 5–1 | |||
|author = Associated Press | |||
|- | |||
|authorlink = The Associated Press | |||
| ] || 9–2 || 6–1 | |||
|coauthors = | |||
|- | |||
|date = 1990-06-01 | |||
| ]† || 5–5 || 5–2 | |||
|work = New York Times | |||
|- | |||
|publisher = The New York Times Company | |||
| ] || 6–4 || 6–1 | |||
|archiveurl = | |||
|- | |||
|archivedate = | |||
| ] || 6–4 || 6–0 | |||
|quote = | |||
|- | |||
}}</ref> This chain of events led directly to the forced resignation of popular head coach Danny Ford.<ref name="NYTford">{{cite web | |||
| ] || ] || 11–1 || 6–0 | |||
|url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE3D61F30F93AA25752C0A966958260 | |||
|- | |||
|title = Clemson Drops Ford With $1 Million Deal | |||
| ] || rowspan="5"|] || 12–0 || 6–0 | |||
|accessdate = 2008-01-21 | |||
|- | |||
|author = Associated Press | |||
| ] || 9–1–1 || 6–0 | |||
|authorlink = The Associated Press | |||
|- | |||
|coauthors = | |||
| ] || 8–2–2 || 5–1–1 | |||
|date = 1990-01-19 | |||
|- | |||
|work = New York Times | |||
| ] || 10–2 || 6–1 | |||
|publisher = The New York Times Company | |||
|- | |||
|archiveurl = | |||
| ] || 10–2 || 6–1 | |||
|archivedate = | |||
|- | |||
|quote = | |||
| ] || ] || 9–2–1 || 6–0–1 | |||
}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] || rowspan="9"|] || 10–4 || 6–2 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 14–1 || 8–0 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 14–1 || 7-1 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 12–2 || 7–1 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 15–0 || 8–0 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 14–1 || 8–0 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 10–2 || 8–1 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 11–3 || 8–0 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 10–3 || 7–1 | |||
|} | |||
† Co-champions | |||
===Division championships=== | |||
===Ken Hatfield Era: 1990-1993=== | |||
In 2005, the ] divided into two divisions of six teams each and began holding an ] at the conclusion of the regular football season to determine the conference champion. Clemson won its first outright ACC Atlantic Division championship in 2009. In 2012 and 2016, Clemson was co-champion of the Atlantic Division. On August 18, 2011, Georgia Tech vacated their ] victory over Clemson due to NCAA violations. The game is considered by the NCAA and ACC to have no winner.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6769894/ncaa-places-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-four-years-probation |title=NCAA places Georgia Tech on probation |date=July 18, 2011 |publisher=] |access-date=September 5, 2011 |quote=The NCAA vacated the final three games of the football team's 2009 season – a loss to rival Georgia, the Atlantic Coast Conference championship win over Clemson and the Orange Bowl loss to Iowa – for using an ineligible player. It was the Yellow Jackets' first season under coach Paul Johnson. |archive-date=September 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902114750/http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6769894/ncaa-places-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-four-years-probation |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
] coached the Tigers to their most recent ACC championship in 1991. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
===Tommy West Era: 1993-1998=== | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|Coach|Division championship|Opponent|CG result}} | |||
|- | |||
| ] || rowspan="9"|] || rowspan="9"|ACC Atlantic || ] || L 34–39 (vacated) | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 38–10 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 45–37 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 42–35 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 38–3 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 42–10 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 62–17 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || ] || '''W''' 39–10 | |||
|} | |||
==Playoffs== | |||
===Tommy Bowden Era: 1999-present=== | |||
Clemson was selected as the one seed in the second ] and defeated the fourth seed ] on December 31, 2015, in the ]. They lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the championship game on January 11, 2016. Clemson was selected to the third ] as the second seed and defeated the third seed ] on December 31, 2016, in the ]. The Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the national championship games in both 2017 and 2019. Clemson has a 6–4 record in playoff games through the 2019 season. | |||
==Bowl Games== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |||
|-style="background: #FF6300" align=center | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|Seed|Opponent|Round|Result|Notes}} | |||
| <font color=white>'''Date''' || <font color=white>'''Bowl''' || <font color=white>'''W/L''' || <font color=white>'''Opponent''' || <font color=white>'''PF''' || <font color=white>'''PA''' | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| rowspan=2|] || rowspan=2|1 || No. 4 ] || Semi-finals – ] || '''W''' 37–17 || ] | |||
| ], ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 6 || 3 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| No. 2 ] || Final – ] || L 40–45 || ] | |||
| January 1, ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 24 || 23 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| rowspan=2|] || rowspan=2|2 || No. 3 ] || Semi-finals – ] || '''W''' 31–0 || ] | |||
| January 1, ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 15 || 14 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| No. 1 ] || Final – ] || '''W''' 35–31 || ] | |||
| January 1, ] || Gator || '''L''' || Miami || 0 || 14 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ] |||1 || No. 4 ] || Semi-finals – ] || L 6–24 || ] | |||
| January 1, ] || Orange || '''L''' || ] || 21 || 27 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| |
| rowspan=2|] || rowspan=2|2 || No. 3 ] || Semi-finals – ] || '''W''' 30–3 || ] | ||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| |
| No. 1 ] || Final – ] || '''W''' 44–16 || ] | ||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| rowspan=2|] || rowspan=2|3 || No. 2 ] || Semi-finals – ] || '''W''' 29–23 || ] | |||
| ], ] || Gator || '''L''' || ] || 3 || 34 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| No. 1 ] || Final – ] || L 25–42 || ] | |||
| ], ] || Gator || '''W''' || ] || 17 || 15 | |||
|- | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ] |
| ] |||2 || No. 3 ] || Semi-finals – ] || L 28–49 || ] | ||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || Orange || '''W''' || ] || 22 || 15 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ], ] || ]|| '''L''' || ] || 13 || 20 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ], ] || Gator || '''W''' || ] || 27 || 21 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 35 || 10 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ], ] || Florida Citrus || '''W''' || ] || 13 || 6 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 30, ] || Gator || '''W''' || ] || 27 || 7 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 30 || 0 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || Florida Citrus || '''L''' || ] || 13 || 37 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 31, ] || Peach || '''W''' || ] || 14 || 13 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || Gator || '''L''' || ] || 0 || 41 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ], ] || Peach || '''L''' || LSU || 7 || 10 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 2, ] || Peach || '''L''' || ] || 17 || 21 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 30, ] || Peach || '''L''' || ] || 7 || 17 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 1, ] || Gator || '''L''' || ] || 20 || 41 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 31, ] || ] || '''W''' || ] || 49 || 24 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| ], ] || ] || '''L''' || ] || 15 || 55 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| January 2, ] || Peach || '''W''' || ] || 27 || 14 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 27, ] || ] || '''W''' || Colorado || 19 || 10 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 29, ] || ] || '''L''' || Kentucky || 20 || 28 | |||
|-align=center | |||
| December 31, ] || Chick-Fil-A || '''L''' || Auburn || 20 || 23 | |||
|-align=center | |||
|-style="background: #FF6300" align=center | |||
| <font color=white>'''Total''' || <font color=white>'''30 Bowl Games''' || <font color=white>'''15-15''' || <font color=white> || <font color=white>'''522''' || <font color=white>'''581''' | |||
|} | |} | ||
==National |
==National polls== | ||
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="100%" | |||
Clemson has ended their football season ranked 38 times in either the AP or Coaches Poll.<ref name="data.clemsontigers.com">{{Cite web |title=2020 Tiger Football media guide |url=https://data.clemsontigers.com/pdf/football/2020-21/MediaGuide.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202202020/https://data.clemsontigers.com/pdf/football/2020-21/MediaGuide.pdf |archive-date=2021-02-02}}</ref> | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Year | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Coach | |||
Clemson had 12 consecutive 10-win seasons from 2011 to 2022. Before the streak came to an end in 2023, it was the 2nd longest active streak behind Alabama with 16.<ref name="data.clemsontigers.com"/> | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Selectors | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Record | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Bowl | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
|- align="center" | |||
| ] || ] || AP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FACT, FB News, Football Research, FW, Helms, Litkenhous, Matthews, National Championship Foundation, NFF, NY Times, Poling, Sagarin, Sporting News, UPI || 12-0 || Orange | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|Record|AP Poll†|Coaches‡|Harris}} | |||
|-align="center" | |||
| colspan=3 bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>'''National championships claimed''' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan=2 bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>'''1''' | |||
| 1939 || 9–1–0 || 12 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1948 || 11–0–0 || 11 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1950 || 9–0–1 || 10 || 12 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1951 || 7–3–0 || 20 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1956 || 7–2–2 || 19 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1957 || 7–3–0 || – || 18 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1958 || 8–3–0 || 12 || 13 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1959 || 9–2–0 || 11 || 11 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1977 || 8–3–1 || 19 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1978 || 11–1–0 || 6 || 7 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1981 || 12–0–0 || 1 || 1 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1982 || 9–1–1 || 8 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1983 || 9–1–1 || 11 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1986 || 8–2–2 || 17 || 19 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1987 || 10–2–0 || 12 || 10 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1988 || 10–2–0 || 9 || 8 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1989 || 10–2–0 || 12 || 11 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1990 || 10–2–0 || 9 || 9 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1991 || 9–2–1 || 18 || 17 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 1993 || 9–3–0 || 23 || 22 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 || 9–3 || 16 || 14 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 || 9–4 || 22 || 22 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 2005 || 8–4 || 21 || 21 || 23 | |||
|- | |||
| 2007 || 9–4 || 21 || 22 || 16 | |||
|- | |||
| 2009 || 9–5 || 24 || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| 2011 || 10–4 || 22 || 22 || 14 | |||
|- | |||
| 2012 || 11–2 || 11 || 9 || 13 | |||
|- | |||
| 2013 || 11–2 || 8 || 7 || 11 | |||
|- | |||
| 2014 || 10–3 || 15 || 15 || – | |||
|- | |||
| 2015 || 14–1 || 2 || 2 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2016 || 14–1 || 1 || 1 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2017 || 12–2 || 4 || 4 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2018 || 15–0 || 1 || 1 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2019 || 14–1 || 2 || 2 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2020 || 10–2 || 3 || 3 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2021 || 10–3 || 14 || 16 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2022 || 11–3 || 12 || 13 || | |||
|- | |||
| 2023 || 9–4 || 20 || 20 || | |||
|} | |} | ||
† ] began selecting the nation's Top 20 teams in 1936. Only the Top 10 teams were recognized from 1962 to 1967. The AP Poll expanded back to the Top 20 teams in 1968. In 1989, it began recognizing the Top 25 teams. | |||
‡ ] began selecting its Top 20 teams on a weekly basis in 1950 before expanding to the nation's Top 25 teams in 1990. | |||
==Bowl games== | |||
==Conference Championships== | |||
{{Main|List of Clemson Tigers bowl games}} | |||
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="40%" | |||
Clemson holds a 27–23 record in bowl games through the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/clemson/|title=Clemson Tigers Bowls|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-date=March 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310015513/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/clemson/|url-status=live}}</ref> This is a list of Clemson's 16 most recent bowl games. | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Year | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Coach | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
!bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>Record | |||
|- | |||
|- align="center" | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Season|Coach|Bowl|Date|Opponent|Result}} | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1900''' || ''']''' || '''6-0-0''' | |||
|]|| ] || ] || December 31, 2010 || ] || L 26–31 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1902''' || '''John Heisman''' || '''6-1-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] ||January 4, 2012 || ] || L 33–70 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1939''' || ''']''' || '''9-1-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || December 31, 2012 || ] || '''W''' 25–24 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1940''' || ''']''' || '''6-2-1''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 3, 2014 || ] || '''W''' 40–35 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1948''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''11-0-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || December 29, 2014 || ] || '''W''' 40–6 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1956''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''7-2-2''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || December 31, 2015 || ] || '''W''' 37–17 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1958''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''8-3-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 11, 2016 || ] || L 40–45 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1959''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''9-2-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || December 31, 2016 || ] || '''W''' 31–0 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| 1965 || Frank Howard || 5-5 | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 9, 2017 || ] || '''W''' 35–31 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1966''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''6-4''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 1, 2018 || ] || L 6–24 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1967''' || '''Frank Howard''' || '''6-4''' | |||
|] || Dabo Swinney || ] || December 29, 2018 || ] || '''W''' 30–3 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1978''' || ''']''' || '''11-1-0''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 7, 2019 || ] || '''W''' 44–16 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1981''' || ''']''' || '''12-0-0''' | |||
|] || Dabo Swinney || ] || December 28, 2019 || ] || '''W''' 29–23 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1982''' || '''Danny Ford''' || '''9-1-1''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 13, 2020 || ] || L 25–42 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1986''' || '''Danny Ford''' || '''8-2-2''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || January 1, 2021 || ] ||L 28–49 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1987''' || '''Danny Ford''' || '''10-2''' | |||
|]|| Dabo Swinney || ] || December 29, 2021 || ] || '''W''' 20–13 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|- | |||
| '''1988''' || '''Danny Ford''' || '''10-2''' | |||
|] | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|Dabo Swinney | |||
| '''1991''' || ''']''' || '''9-2-1''' | |||
|] | |||
|-align="center" | |||
|December 30, 2022 | |||
| colspan=3 bgcolor="#FF6300"| <font color=#FFFFFF>'''Conference Titles: 18''' | |||
|] | |||
|L 14–31 | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|Dabo Swinney | |||
|] | |||
|December 29, 2023 | |||
|] | |||
|'''W''' 38–35 | |||
|} | |} | ||
''Note: Bold years indicate outright conference titles'' | |||
==Head coaches== | |||
==College Football Hall of Famers== | |||
{{main|List of Clemson Tigers head football coaches}} | |||
{|class="wikitable sortable" | |||
!Inductee | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
!Position(s) | |||
!Class | |||
!Year(s) | |||
|- | |- | ||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Tenure|Coach|Years|Record|Pct.}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|2007 | |||
|1978-1981 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1896–1899 || ] || 2 || 6–3 || {{winpct|6|3|0}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1954 | |||
|1900-1903 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1897 || ] || 1 || 2–2 || {{winpct|2|2|0}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1989 | |||
|1940-1969 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1898 || ] || 1 || 3–1 || {{winpct|3|1|0}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|2001 | |||
|1978-1982 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1900–1903 || ] || 4 || 19–3–2 || {{winpct|19|3|2}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1959 | |||
|1937-1939 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1904 || ] || 1 || 3–3–1 || {{winpct|3|3|1}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1971 | |||
|1931-1939 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 1905 || ] || 1 || 3–2–1 || {{winpct|3|2|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1906–1915 || ] || 5 || 22–14–6 || {{winpct|22|14|6}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1907 || ] || 1 || 4–4–0 || {{winpct|4|4|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1908 || ] || 1 || 1–6–0 || {{winpct|1|6|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1910–1912 || ] || 3 || 11–12–1 || {{winpct|11|12|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1916 || ] || 1 || 3–6 || {{winpct|3|6|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1917–1920 || ] || 4 || 21–12–3 || {{winpct|21|12|3}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1921–1922 || ] || 2 || 6–10–2 || {{winpct|6|10|2}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1923–1926 || ] || 4 || 10–22–1 || {{winpct|10|22|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1927–1930 || ] || 4 || 29–11–1 || {{winpct|29|11|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1931–1939 || ] || 9 || 43–35–7 || {{winpct|43|35|7}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1940–1969 || ] || 30 || 165–118–12 || {{winpct|165|118|12}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1970–1972 || ] || 3 || 12–21 || {{winpct|12|21|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1973–1976 || ] || 4 || 17–25–2 || {{winpct|17|25|2}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1977–1978 || ] || 2 || 18–4–1 || {{winpct|18|4|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1978–1989 || ] || 12 || 96–29–4 || {{winpct|96|29|4}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1990–1993 || ] || 4 || 32–13–1 || {{winpct|32|13|1}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1993–1998 || ] || 6 || 31–28 || {{winpct|31|28|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1999–2008 || ] || 10 || 72–45 || {{winpct|72|45|0}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2008–current || ] || 14 || 170–44 || {{winpct|170|43|0}}<!-- Thru August 7, 2024 --> | |||
|} | |} | ||
===Coaching staff=== | |||
==Current NFL Players== | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| colspan=4 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|border=2|}}; text-align: center"| '''Clemson Tigers''' | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ],] | |||
! Name !! Position !! Consecutive season at Clemson in current position !! Previous position | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| ]|| ] / ] || 1st || TCU – Offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks (2021–2022) | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| ] || ] / ] || 2nd || Clemson – Senior defensive assistant (]–2021) | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| ] || Co–defensive coordinator / ] || 2nd || Clemson – Safeties / special teams coordinator (2021) | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| ] || Special teams coordinator / ] || 2nd || Clemson – Defensive backs (]–2021) | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
| ] || ] || 1st || | |||
*] - ], ] | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| ] || ] || 4th || Clemson – Offensive analyst (]–]) | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| ] || ] || 3rd || Clemson – Graduate intern (2020) | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| ] || ] / passing game coordinator || 2nd || Clemson – Senior offensive assistant (2016–2021) | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| ] || ] || 6th || Clemson – Senior defensive analyst (]) | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| ] || ] / run game coordinator || 2nd || ] – Defensive line (]) | |||
|- align="center"; | |||
| Joey Batson || Director of football strength & conditioning || 27th || ] – Director of strength training (1996) | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="4" style="font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"|'''Reference:'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Staff|url=https://daboswinney.com/staff/|website=daboswinney.com|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=March 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331043228/https://daboswinney.com/staff/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|} | |||
==Clemson traditions== | |||
*'''Howard's Rock''' In the early 1960s, the rock was given to then head coach Frank Howard by a friend, Samuel Columbus Jones (Clemson Class of 1919).<ref>Clemson Alumni Association, "Clemson Alumni: Today 2008," Harris Connect, Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, 2007, no ISBN, page 1904.</ref> It was presented to Howard by Jones, saying "Here's a rock from Death Valley, California, to Death Valley, South Carolina."<ref name="Howard">Howard, Frank, with Bradley, Bob, and Parker, Virgil, "Howard," Howard, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1990, {{ISBN|0-934904-22-7}}, page 132.</ref> Howard didn't think anything else about the rock and it was used as a door stop in his office for several years. In September 1966, while cleaning out his office, Howard noticed the rock and told IPTAY executive director Gene Willimon, "Take this rock and throw it over the fence or out in the ditch...do something with it, but get it out of my office."<ref name="Howard"/> Willimon had the rock placed on a pedestal at the top of the east endzone hill that the team ran down to enter the field for games.<ref name="Bradley">Bradley, Bob, "Death Valley Days," Longstreet Press, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia, 1991, Library of Congress card number 91-061931, {{ISBN|1-56352-006-0}}, page 17.</ref> On September 24, 1966, the first time Clemson players ran by the rock, they beat conference rival Virginia, 40–35.<ref>Clemson Athletic Department, "2001 Clemson Football," Keys Printing, Greenville, South Carolina, 2001, no ISBN, page 340.</ref> Howard, seizing on the motivational potential of "The Rock", told his players, "Give me 110% or keep your filthy hands off of my rock."<ref name="Bradley"/> The team started rubbing the Rock for the first game of 1967, which was a 23–6 waxing of ACC foe Wake Forest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetigernet.com/football/history/hill.jsp|title=TigerNet – Football – Traditions – Running Down the Hill|work=thetigernet.com|access-date=December 8, 2011|archive-date=January 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103115937/http://thetigernet.com/football/history/hill.jsp|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
:As a result, it is now a tradition for the Clemson Army ] to protect the Rock for the 24 hours prior to the Clemson-South Carolina game when held in Death Valley. ROTC cadets keep a steady ] around the rock prior to the game, which can be heard across the campus. Part of the tradition comes after unknown parties vandalized the Rock prior to the 1992 South Carolina-Clemson game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19921121&id=yTEfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3200,1466481 |title=Vandals chip chunk off Howard's Rock |first=Gerald |last=Garrett |date=November 21, 1992 |newspaper=] |via=Google News Archive |access-date=January 17, 2017 |archive-date=November 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122212224/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19921121&id=yTEfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3200%2C1466481 |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 2, 2013, Howard's Rock was again vandalized when the case containing it was broken and a portion of the rock was removed by an apparent fan of the Tigers, who was eventually arrested following a police investigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/9433459/clemson-arrests-charges-man-connection-howard-rock-vandalism|title=Clemson arrests, charges man in connection to Howard's Rock vandalism|date=June 28, 2013|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 21, 2014|archive-date=November 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129053449/http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9433459/clemson-arrests-charges-man-connection-howard-rock-vandalism|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* '''Gathering at the Paw''' One of the most criticized and misunderstood traditions in all of college football is Clemson's "Gathering At The Paw." After every home football game, fans are allowed to come onto the field to sing the alma mater, and gather around the center of the field. While many say it's "rushing" the field, in truth it's more of a gathering as there is a clock that tells fans when they can come onto the field. There is time given for players and coaches to get off of the field. It is done after every home game, win or lose.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://armchairmedianetwork.com/gathering-paw-clemson-tradition/|title=Gathering at the Paw: A Clemson Tradition|first=Sage|last=Moody|date=October 19, 2016|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=December 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215200503/https://armchairmedianetwork.com/gathering-paw-clemson-tradition/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
*'''Running Down the Hill''' Probably the most highly publicized tradition of the Clemson Tigers football team is the entrance, which ] referred to as "The Most Exciting 25 seconds in College Football."<ref name="Howard" /> Running down "The Hill" originally started out of practicality. Before the west stands were built, the football team dressed across the street at Fike Field House and ran from there to the gate and down the hill onto the field. Now, after exiting the stadium on the west side, the players load into buses which, escorted by police officers, make their way around the stadium to the east side where The Hill is located. This scene is shown on the JumboTron inside the stadium. When the buses arrive at the east side the players get out and gather at the top of the hill and stand around Howard's Rock; once most of the players are out of the buses and ready to go a cannon sounds; the band begins to play Tiger Rag and the players make their way down the hill. The spelling out of C-L-E-M-S-O-N during this Tiger Rag is one of, if not the, loudest times it will be spelled out during the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html|title=Traditions {{!}} About {{!}} Clemson University, South Carolina|website=clemson.edu|access-date=January 17, 2017|archive-date=February 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211110001/https://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/clemson-video-gives-great-look-unique-pregame-experience-172201695.html|title=Clemson video gives a great look at what its unique pregame experience is like|access-date=January 17, 2017|archive-date=August 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233754/https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/clemson-video-gives-great-look-unique-pregame-experience-172201695.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
*'''Ring of Honor''' Created in 1994, the Ring of Honor is the highest award given to former coaches, players, and other individuals who made a direct impact on the football program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/ring-of-honor.html |title=Clemson University Official Athletic Site - Football |access-date=December 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208161419/http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/ring-of-honor.html |archive-date=February 8, 2012 }}</ref> | |||
*'''The Graveyard''' The Graveyard is a mock cemetery near the football practice fields that features tombstones commemorating Clemson's victories over ranked opponents on the road.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/graveyard.html |title=Clemson University Official Athletic Site - Football |access-date=December 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503102555/http://www.clemsontigers.com/sports/m-footbl/graveyard.html |archive-date=May 3, 2012 }}</ref> | |||
*'''First Friday Parade''' The Clemson football season kicks off each year with the annual First Friday Parade. The once a year event takes place on the Friday afternoon prior to the first home football game. Floats from various fraternities and sororities and other campus organizations are represented in the parade that rolls down main street in Clemson. The parade culminates at the Amphitheater in the middle of campus where the first Pep Rally of the year takes place. The Grand Marshal of the Parade is featured at the Pep Rally. Recent Grand Marshals have ranged from current PGA professional Dillard Pruitt, to College Football Hall of Fame legends Jess Neely and Frank Howard, to noted television announcers Brent Musburger and Ara Parseghian. | |||
*'''Tailgating''' On October 15, 2012, Southern Living named Clemson the South's best tailgate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Clemson Wins The South's Best Tailgate|url=http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2012/10/15/souths-best-tailgate-clemson/|publisher=southernliving.com|access-date=November 18, 2012|date=October 15, 2012|archive-date=November 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119011010/http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2012/10/15/souths-best-tailgate-clemson/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
*'''Military Appreciation Game''' This honors Clemson's history as a military school. The team wears purple uniforms (their secondary color) for the annual Military Appreciation Game. | |||
==Rivalries== | |||
===Alabama=== | |||
{{Main|Alabama–Clemson football rivalry}} | |||
The two ] schools have long, decorated histories in the sport of college football.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/clemson-alabama-playoff-rivalry-continues-in-sugar-bowl-120317 |title=Clemson-Alabama playoff rivalry continues in Sugar Bowl |work=Fox Sports |date=December 3, 2017 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702011519/https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/clemson-alabama-playoff-rivalry-continues-in-sugar-bowl-120317 |url-status=live }}</ref> They first met on the football field on November 29, 1900.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ussporthistory.com/2016/01/11/alabama-vs-clemson-a-football-history/ |title=Alabama vs. Clemson: A Football History |work=Ussporthistory.com |date=January 11, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=June 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624123854/https://ussporthistory.com/2016/01/11/alabama-vs-clemson-a-football-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Clemson won the inaugural matchup by a score of 35–0.<ref>{{cite web |author=Matt Brown |url=http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/161322040/clemson-alabama-football-matchup-history-1905 |title=Clemson seeks its first win vs. Alabama since 1905. |work=Sports on Earth |date=January 8, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=February 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226183358/http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/161322040/clemson-alabama-football-matchup-history-1905 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Crimson Tide and Tigers met again in 1904 and 1905, with Clemson winning both games.<ref name="sbnation.com">{{cite web |last=Kirk |first=Jason |url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/1/6/14180856/alabama-clemson-series-history-record-rivalry-2017-national-championship |title=Clemson's lost 13 straight to Bama since 1905. The last 2 are what brought us here |publisher=SBNation.com |date=January 9, 2017 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702011450/https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/1/6/14180856/alabama-clemson-series-history-record-rivalry-2017-national-championship |url-status=live }}</ref> Beginning with the next meeting between the two squads in 1909, Alabama won the next thirteen matchups against Clemson.<ref name="sbnation.com"/> The Tide posted the biggest margin of victory in the rivalry in 1931, beating the Tigers by a margin of 74–7.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://charlestondaily.net/interesting-facts-about-clemson-and-alabama-you-should-know-before-the-big-game-2018/ |title=Interesting facts about Clemson and Alabama you should know before the big game |work=Charlestondaily.net |date=January 1, 2018 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=January 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106034220/http://charlestondaily.net/interesting-facts-about-clemson-and-alabama-you-should-know-before-the-big-game-2018/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/12/sports/college-football-florida-state-leaves-clemson-in-awe.html |title=COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Florida State Leaves Clemson in Awe |work=The New York Times |date=September 12, 1993 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702014541/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/12/sports/college-football-florida-state-leaves-clemson-in-awe.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the first seven games of Alabama's 13-game streak, Clemson only score seven total points and was shut out in six of the seven games.<ref name="sbnation.com"/> After a 56–0 shutout Alabama victory in 1975, the squads didn't meet again until 2008, when they squared off on opening weekend in ], Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/010408aby.html |title=Alabama To Play Clemson In Season Opener At Georgia Dome |publisher=Cstv.com |date=January 4, 2008 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702035425/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/010408aby.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Tide emerged victorious with a 34–10 victory.<ref>{{cite web |author=Final |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=282430228 |title=Alabama vs. Clemson – Game Recap – August 30, 2008 |publisher=ESPN |date=August 31, 2008 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=November 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105050103/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=282430228 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
The last four matchups between the squads have had national championship implications and have greatly re-intensified the rivalry. The teams squared off in the ] in ], resulting in Alabama emerging with a thrilling 45–40 victory.<ref>{{cite web |author=Final |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400852743 |title=Alabama vs. Clemson – Game Recap – January 11, 2016 |publisher=ESPN |date=January 12, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410232231/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400852743 |url-status=live }}</ref> The next year, the teams again found themselves doing battle in the ] in ], with Clemson emerging with a last-second 35–31 victory and their first win over the Crimson Tide since 1905.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400876570 |title=Clemson vs. Alabama – Game Recap – January 9, 2017 |publisher=ESPN |date=January 10, 2017 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109150121/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400876570 |url-status=live }}</ref> Once again the teams met in the ] semifinal in ], Louisiana with a trip to the ] game on the line.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2018/01/02/clemson-alabama-sugar-bowl-college-football-playoff-semifinal/994971001/ |title=Alabama suffocates Clemson in dominant Sugar Bowl victory |work=USA Today |date=January 2, 2018 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=February 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218161222/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2018/01/02/clemson-alabama-sugar-bowl-college-football-playoff-semifinal/994971001/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Alabama won by a score of 24–6 following two costly Clemson interceptions in the second half.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400953413 |title=Alabama vs. Clemson – Game Recap – January 1, 2018 |publisher=ESPN |date=January 2, 2018 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109150124/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400953413 |url-status=live }}</ref> Their most recent meeting was in the ]. This time, Clemson dismantled the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide in a 44–16 rout to win its third national title. | |||
Alabama leads the series 14–5 through the 2023 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/alabama|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155735/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/alabama|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Auburn=== | |||
{{Main|Auburn–Clemson football rivalry}} | |||
These old rivals (which are often called sister schools) first played in 1899, but until 2010, had not faced each other in the regular season since 1971. Along with snapping a 14-game losing streak to the Tigers of the Plains, Clemson also snapped Auburn's 17-game winning streak coming off of the 2009–2011 seasons after a home-and-home series in the 2010–11 seasons. The ] then hosted the Auburn–Clemson rivalry the following year in the 2012 ]. Clemson defeated Auburn 26–19 riding on a 231-yard performance by ]. This game was notable due to ] absence, having been suspended the first two games due to a drug-related arrest in May 2012. Auburn leads the overall series 34–15–2 through the 2018 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/auburn|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Auburn Tigers football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155936/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/auburn|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Boston College=== | |||
{{Main|O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy}} | |||
The O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy was created in 2008 by the Boston College Gridiron Club to honor the tradition at both schools and to honor the legacy of ] and ], who played during the leather helmet era. The club plans to make this an annual presentation. Clemson first met Boston College on the football field in the 1940 ], the first ever bowl game for the Tigers and Eagles. Over the next 43 years, the teams met a total of 14 times. In 2005, Boston College joined the ACC and the Atlantic Division. Since then, the game has been played on an annual basis with Clemson winning the last 11 meetings. As of 2022 the Tigers lead the series 21–9–2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/boston-college|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Boston College Eagles football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155814/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/boston-college|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Florida State=== | |||
{{Main|Clemson–Florida State football rivalry}} | |||
Between 1999 and 2007 the ACC Atlantic Division matchup between Clemson and Florida State was referred to as the "Bowden Bowl" to reflect the father-son head coach matchup between ] (Father, FSU) and ] (Son, Clemson). Their first meeting, in 1999, was the first time in Division I-A history that a father and a son met as opposing head coaches in a football game. Bobby Bowden won the first four matchups extending FSU's winning streak over Clemson to 11 dating back to 1992. Since 2003, Clemson is 11–6, including a 26–10 win in Clemson over then-No. 3 FSU. Also during this time the Tigers recorded a 27–20 win in ] in 2006 which broke a 17-year losing streak in ]. 2007 was the last Bowden Bowl game as Tommy resigned as head coach in October 2008. No. 3 Clemson pulled off a thriller in Tallahassee in 2016, 37–34, over the No. 12-ranked Seminoles. In 2018, No. 2 Clemson defeated Florida State in Tallahassee 59–10, which tied the Seminoles' worst loss margin in history. This marked a 2nd time the Tigers have beaten the Seminoles by more than 17-points. Clemson did it again in 2019, beating FSU 45–14. FSU has defeated Clemson by more than 17-points nine times. The most lopsided contest occurred in 1993, with the FSU squad winning 57–0. As of 2022, Florida State leads the overall series 20–15.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/florida-state|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155651/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/florida-state|url-status=live}}</ref> Before the dissolution of divisions in ACC Football as of 2023, the annual Clemson-Florida State game often decided which team would represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship. However, under the ACC's new scheduling system, Clemson and Florida State are designated as permanent rivals and will continue to compete for the title every year. Because of the new ACC scheduling system, there is a chance these rivals could face each other a second time in the ACC Championship. | |||
===Georgia=== | |||
{{Main|Clemson–Georgia football rivalry}} | |||
The Bulldogs and the Tigers have played each other 64 times beginning in 1897, with the 64th meeting played in 2014. Clemson's only regular-season losses of the 1978, 1982, and 1991 campaigns all came at the hands of Georgia "between the hedges", whereas Georgia's only regular-season setback during the three years of the ] era came in Death Valley during ]'s 1981 national championship run. | |||
During the two programs' simultaneous glory days of the early 1980s, no rivalry in all of college football was more important at the national level.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Andrew |title=Georgia vs. Clemson: An Endangered College Football Rivalry |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2171585-georgia-vs-clemson-an-endangered-college-football-rivalry |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> The Bulldogs and Tigers played each other every season from 1973 to 1987, with Scott Woerner's dramatic returns in 1980 and the nine turnovers forced by the Tigers in 1981 effectively settling the eventual national champion. No rivalry of that period was more competitive, as evidenced by the critical 11th-hour field goals kicked by Kevin Butler in 1984 and by David Treadwell more than once later in the decade. Despite blowouts in 1990 by the Tigers and in 1994 and 2003 by the Bulldogs, the series typically has remained very competitive with evenly matched games. Most recently, Georgia defeated Clemson 10–3 in the ] with neither team scoring an offensive touchdown; Georgia went on to win the national title in 2021. The Bulldogs maintains a 43–18–4 lead in the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/georgia|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155807/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/georgia|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Georgia Tech=== | |||
{{Main|Clemson–Georgia Tech football rivalry}} | |||
Clemson's rivalry with Georgia Tech dates to 1898 with the first game being played in ].<ref name="2018MG">{{cite web |title=2018 Media Guide |url=http://clemsontigers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018ClemsonFootballMediaGuide.pdf |website=clemsontigers.com |publisher=Clemson Athletics |access-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905102040/http://clemsontigers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2018ClemsonFootballMediaGuide.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Notably, both programs share the privilege of having ] as a former coach. It was played in Atlanta for 44 of the first 47 match-ups, until Georgia Tech joined the ACC. When the Yellowjackets joined the ACC in 1978, the series moved to a more traditional home-and-home setup beginning with the 1983 game. When the ACC expanded to 12 teams and split into two divisions in 2005, Clemson and Georgia Tech were placed in opposite divisions but were designated permanent cross-divisional rivals so that the series may continue uninterrupted. In the new system without divisions, they remain as such. The two schools are 127 miles apart and connected to each other by ]. This distance is slightly closer than that between Clemson and traditional rival South Carolina (137 miles). Georgia Tech leads the series 50–35–2 with Clemson winning the last 8 in a row.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/georgia-tech|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155901/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/georgia-tech|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===NC State=== | |||
{{Main|Textile Bowl}} | |||
The yearly conference and divisional match-up with ] is known as the ] for the schools' similar missions in research and development for the textile industry in the Carolinas. The first meeting of the two schools occurred in 1899. Clemson has won 18 out of 23 contests since 2000. It is a particularly bitter rivalry amongst fans and students of both schools, even though it is not as competitive as the vitriol would suggest. Clemson holds a 60–30–1 series advantage through the 2023 season. NC State has won 2 out of the last 3 games in the rivalry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/north-carolina-state|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923223819/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/north-carolina-state|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===South Carolina=== | |||
{{Main|Clemson–South Carolina rivalry}} | |||
The ], which dates back to 1896, is the largest annual sporting event in terms of ticket sales in the state of South Carolina. From 1896 to 1959, the Clemson–South Carolina game was played on the fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina and was referred to as "Big Thursday." Beginning in 1960, an alternating-site format was implemented using both teams' home stadiums. The annual game has since been designated "The Palmetto Bowl."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thepalmettobowl.com|title=Clemson vs. South Carolina: The Palmetto Bowl|website=The Palmetto Bowl|access-date=April 29, 2022|archive-date=April 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403202052/https://thepalmettobowl.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The last eight contests between the programs have been nationally televised (4 on ESPN, 4 on ESPN2). Clemson holds a commanding 73–43-4 lead in the series through the 2022 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/south-carolina|title=Winsipedia – Clemson Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks football series history|website=Winsipedia|access-date=September 25, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925155921/http://www.winsipedia.com/clemson/vs/south-carolina|url-status=live}}</ref> It is often considered one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football, on a similar level to the ] and ] rivalries, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=College football's 12 best rivalry games |url=https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-footballs-12-best-rivalry-games-198355378/ |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=247Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
==Individual award winners== | |||
{{See also|Clemson Tigers football statistical leaders}} | |||
===College Football Hall of Fame inductees=== | |||
In 1951, the ] opened in ]. Clemson has had 3 players and 4 former coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx|title=Hall of Fame: Select group by school|work=]|publisher=Football Foundation|access-date=September 6, 2011|archive-date=September 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917215440/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Name|Years|Position|Inducted|Ref.}} | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1900–1903 | |||
| Head coach | |||
| 1954 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1297|title=John Heisman (1954) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125043/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1297|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1937–1939 | |||
| ] | |||
| 1959 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1467|title=Banks McFadden (1959) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125043/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1467|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1931–1939 | |||
| Head coach | |||
| 1971 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1658|title=Jess Neely (1971) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125044/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1658|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1940–1969 | |||
| Head coach | |||
| 1989 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1735|title=Frank Howard (1989) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125044/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1735|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1978–1982 | |||
| ] | |||
| 2001 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2066|title=Terry Kinard (2001) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=April 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429125044/https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2066|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1978–1981 | |||
| ] | |||
| 2007 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2204|title=Jeff Davis (2007) – Hall of Fame – National Football Foundation|website=National Football Foundation}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 1978–1989 | |||
| ] | |||
| 2017 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2405|title=Danny Ford (2017) – Hall of Fame|website=National Football Foundation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/about/blog/2017-hall-of-fame-class-danny-ford/ |title=2017 Hall of Fame Class: Danny Ford |publisher=Cfbhall.com |date=December 4, 1978 |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031052516/https://www.cfbhall.com/about/blog/2017-hall-of-fame-class-danny-ford/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| 2006–2009 | |||
| ] | |||
| 2021 | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clemsontigers.com/spiller-college-football-hall-of-fame/|title=Spiller Selected for Induction in College Football Hall of Fame|date=January 11, 2021|website=Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site|access-date=September 19, 2021|archive-date=September 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919065847/https://clemsontigers.com/spiller-college-football-hall-of-fame/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
===Retired numbers=== | |||
{{Also|List of NCAA football retired numbers}} | |||
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
|- | |||
| colspan=6 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}| '''Clemson Tigers retired numbers''' | |||
|- | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=50px | No. | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=150px | Player | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=50px | Pos. | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=100px | Tenure | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=100px | Year retired | |||
! style={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Clemson Tigers|color=white}}; width=50px | Ref. | |||
|- | |||
| '''4''' | |||
| ] {{refn|No. 4 was brought out of retirement in 2014 to be worn by quarterback ].<ref name="Fuller" />|group=n|name=fourout}} | |||
| 1975–1978 | |||
| ] | |||
| 1979 | |||
| <ref name="Fuller">{{cite web|url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/clemson/2017/01/08/fuller-watson-and-legacy-no-4/96298164/ |title=Steve Fuller, Deshaun Watson and the legacy of No. 4 |publisher=Greenvilleonline.com |date=January 8, 2017 |access-date=January 10, 2019|quote=Watson has worn uniform No. 4 – his number at Gainesville High School – thanks to former Clemson standout quarterback Steve Fuller, who agreed to have his jersey come out of retirement several years ago, not long after Watson committed to coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers.}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| '''28''' | |||
| ] {{refn|Number 28 was brought out of retirement in 2016 to be worn by running back Tavien Feaster, with Spiller's blessing.<ref name="Spiller" />|group=n|name=spillreturn}} | |||
| 2006–2009 | |||
| ] | |||
| 2010 | |||
| <ref name="Spiller">{{cite web|url=http://rubbingtherock.com/2016/07/25/clemson-football-tavien-feaster-gets-c-j-spillers-number/|title=Clemson Football: Tavien Feaster gets C.J. Spiller's number|last=rewBoardwine|date=July 25, 2016|access-date=January 11, 2017|quote=The Clemson freshmen numbers were released today and running back Tavien Feaster will wearing No. 28, the first player to do since explosive playmaker C. J. Spiller was in Tiger Town. Feaster wore No. 28 throughout high school and it seems that the number will come out of retirement for the explosive freshman this season.|archive-date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005200638/http://rubbingtherock.com/2016/07/25/clemson-football-tavien-feaster-gets-c-j-spillers-number/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| '''66''' | |||
| ] {{refn|McFadden's has also his #23 retired in Clemson's basketball.<ref name="McFadden" />|group=n|name=mcfadret}} | |||
| 1937–1939 | |||
| ] | |||
| 1987 | |||
| <ref name="McFadden">{{Cite web|url=https://clemsontigers.com/banks-mcfadden-the-great-2/|title=Banks McFadden, "The Great"|date=October 29, 2014|website=Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site|quote=In 1987, both his uniform numbers—23 in basketball and 66 in football—were retired by Clemson Athletics.|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515121058/https://clemsontigers.com/banks-mcfadden-the-great-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|} | |||
;Notes | |||
{{reflist|group=n}} | |||
===National award winners=== | |||
{{col-begin}} | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*'''CBS/Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Year''' | |||
:] (1982) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2010) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2010) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2011) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2011) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015, 2016) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015, 2016) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
*'''Bobby Bowden Trophy''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2017) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2019) | |||
{{col-end}} | |||
===National coaching awards=== | |||
{{col-begin}} | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (1981) | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2013) | |||
:Dan Brooks (2016) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2011) | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
:] (2017) | |||
*'''Grant Teaff Award''' | |||
:] (2014) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (1981) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015, 2016, 2018) | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2015) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (1981) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
{{col-end}} | |||
===Consensus All-Americans=== | |||
{{See also|College Football All-America Team}} | |||
The NCAA recognizes All-Americans selected by the Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), The Sporting News (TSN), and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) to determine if a player is regarded as a Consensus or Unanimous All-American. To be selected a Consensus All-American, a player must be chosen to the first team on at least three of the five official selectors as recognized by the NCAA. If a player is named an All-American by all five organizations, he is recognized as a Unanimous All-America. Clemson players have been honored 28 times as Consensus All-Americans, and 6 times as Unanimous All-Americas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winsipedia.com/ranking/all-americans |title=College football CONSENSUS ALL AMERICANS rankings |publisher=Winsipedia |access-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108065630/http://www.winsipedia.com/ranking/all-americans |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/12/13/18138052/all-america-team-2018-consensus-unanimous|title=A composite 2018 All-America team, led by Bama, Clemson, and LSU|last=Moriarty|first=Morgan|date=December 13, 2018|website=SBNation.com|access-date=January 7, 2019|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107181101/https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/12/13/18138052/all-america-team-2018-consensus-unanimous|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year(s)|Name|Number|Position}} | |||
|- | |||
| 1967 || ] || 51 || G | |||
|- | |||
| 1974 || ] || 85 || TE | |||
|- | |||
| 1979 || ] || 83 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 1981 || ] || 45 || LB | |||
|- | |||
| 1981–1982† || ] || 43 || DB | |||
|- | |||
| 1983 || ] || 66 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 1986 || ] || 33 || RB | |||
|- | |||
| 1987 || ] || 18 || PK | |||
|- | |||
| 1988 || ] || 20 || DB | |||
|- | |||
| 1990 || Stacy Long || 67 || OL | |||
|- | |||
| 1991 || ] || 59 || OL | |||
|- | |||
| 1991 || ] || 44 || LB | |||
|- | |||
| 1993 || Stacy Seegars || 79 || OL | |||
|- | |||
| 1997 || Anthony Simmons || 41 || LB | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 || Keith Adams || 43 || LB | |||
|- | |||
| 2005 || Tye Hill || 8 || DB | |||
|- | |||
| 2006† || ] || 93 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2009† || ] || 28 || KR/AP | |||
|- | |||
| 2010† || ] || 93 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2011 || ] || 83 || TE | |||
|- | |||
| 2013–2014 || ] || 3 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2015 || ] || 4 || QB | |||
|- | |||
| 2015 || ] || 90 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2018 || ] || 99 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2018 || ] || 75 || OL | |||
|- | |||
| 2018† || ] || 42 || DL | |||
|- | |||
| 2019† || ] || 11 || LB | |||
|- | |||
| 2019 || ] || 74 || OL | |||
|- | |||
| 2020 || ] || 9 || AP | |||
|} | |||
† ] | |||
===Atlantic Coast Conference awards=== | |||
{{col-begin}} | |||
{{col-4}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:Buddy Gore (1967) | |||
:] (1977, 1978) | |||
:] (1981) | |||
:] (1984) | |||
:] (1987) | |||
:] (2009) | |||
:] (2012) | |||
:] (2015) | |||
:] (2018, 2019) | |||
:] (2020) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (1958, 1966) | |||
:] (1974) | |||
:] (1977, 1978) | |||
:] (1981) | |||
:] (1999, 2003) | |||
:] (2015, 2018) | |||
{{col-4}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2009) | |||
:] (2012) | |||
:] (2015) | |||
:] (2018, 2019) | |||
:] (2020) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (1999) | |||
:] (2004) | |||
:] (2006) | |||
:] (2010) | |||
:] (2014) | |||
:] (2016) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
:] (2019) | |||
{{col-4}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:Chuck McSwain (1979) | |||
:] (1987) | |||
:] (1990) | |||
:] (1995) | |||
:] (2005) | |||
:] (2011) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2011) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:] (2016) | |||
:] (2020) | |||
:Andrew Mukuba (2021) | |||
{{col-4}} | |||
*''']''' | |||
:Doug Cline (1959) | |||
:Wayne Mass (1966) | |||
:] (1967) | |||
:] (1977) | |||
:Lee Nanney (1981) | |||
:James Farr (1983) | |||
:John Phillips (1987) | |||
:] (2017, 2018) | |||
:Jordan McFadden (2022) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:Rex Varn (1978) | |||
:Jack Cain (1980) | |||
:Ray Williams (1986) | |||
:Warren Forney (1995) | |||
:] (2021) | |||
*''']''' | |||
:Ed Glenn (1994) | |||
:Kyle Young (2001) | |||
:] (2018) | |||
{{col-end}} | |||
===Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary football team=== | |||
On July 23, 2002, in celebration of the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary, a 120-member blue ribbon committee selected the Top 50 football players in ACC history. Clemson led all conference schools with the most players selected to the Golden Anniversary team.<ref>{{cite web|title=ACC 50th Anniversary Football Team Announced|url=http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072302aag.html|publisher=theacc.com|access-date=September 6, 2011|date=July 23, 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322100745/http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072302aag.html|archive-date=March 22, 2012}}</ref> | |||
Each of Clemson's honorees are All-Americans and former NFL players. The nine selectees from Clemson are: | |||
{{div col|colwidth=22em}} | |||
*] (1975–1978) | |||
*] (1975–1978) | |||
*] (1973–1975) | |||
*] (1978–1981) | |||
*] (1975–1978) | |||
*] (1978–1982) | |||
*] (1984–1987) | |||
*] (1981–1984) | |||
*] (1995–1997) | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==NFL players== | |||
Source {{when|date=December 2020}} | |||
*] - ], ] No. 87 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 25 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 90 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 76 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 90 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 1 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 99 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 50 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 5 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 8 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 97 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 97 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 16 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 34 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 71 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 30 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 99 | |||
*] - ], ] No.98 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 13 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 67 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 98 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 82 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 28 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 19 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 76 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 23 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 54 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 24 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 54 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 54 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 24 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 4 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 2 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 94 | |||
*] - ], ] No. 75 | |||
*] – ], ] No. 18 | |||
==All-time record vs. current ACC teams== | |||
<ref name="data.clemsontigers.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/228|title=2021 Clemson Tigers Schedule|website=ESPN|access-date=December 25, 2020|archive-date=December 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220022803/https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/228|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Opponent|Won|Lost|Tied|Percentage|Streak|First meeting|Last meeting}} | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 21 || 9 || 2 || {{winpct|21|9|2}} || Won 11 || ] || 2022 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 0 || 1 || 0 || {{winpct|0|1|0}} || Lost 1 || ] || 1991 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 37 || 17 || 1 || {{winpct|37|17|1}} || Lost 1 || ] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 16 || 21 || 0 || {{winpct|16|21}}|| Won 1 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 36 || 50 || 2 || {{winpct|36|50|2}}|| Won 9 ||] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 8 || 1 || 0 || {{winpct|8|1|0}}|| Lost 1 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 7 || 7 || 0 || {{winpct|7|7}}|| Lost 1 || ] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 40 || 19 || 1 || {{winpct|40|19|1}}|| Won 6 || ] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 61|| 30 || 1 || {{winpct|61|30|1}}|| Won 1 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 5 || 3 || 0 || {{winpct|5|3|0}}|| Won 1 || ] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 3 || 3 || 0 || {{winpct|2|3|0}}|| Won 1 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 0 || 0 || 0 || {{winpct|0|0|0}}|| – || – || – | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 2 || 0 || 0 || {{winpct|2|0|0}}|| Won 2 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 10 || 2 || 0 || {{winpct|10|2|0}}|| Won 6 || ] || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 41 || 8 || 1 || {{winpct|41|8|1}}|| Won 5 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 24 || 12 || 1 || {{winpct|23|12|1}}|| Won 7 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 72 || 17 || 1 || {{winpct|72|17|1}}|| Won 16 || ] || 2024 | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Totals|371|197|10|{{winpct|371|197|10}}|||}} | |||
|} | |||
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACC temporarily added Notre Dame as a member for just the 2020 season. Wins and losses to Notre Dame in 2020 count toward standings and all-time records. | |||
==Future non-conference opponents== | |||
Announced schedules as of January 3, 2023.<ref name="nonconfopp">{{cite web|url=https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/clemson/|title=Future Clemson Football Schedules|publisher=fbschedules.com|access-date=January 3, 2022}}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|2024|2025|2026|2027|2028|2029|2030}} | |||
|- | |||
| vs ] (]) | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
|- | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
|- | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| | |||
| vs ] | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|2031|2032|2033|2034|2035|2036|2037}} | |||
|- | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| at ] | |||
|- | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| at ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
| vs ] | |||
|} | |||
==Clemson vs. in-state NCAA Division I teams== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|School|Record|Percentage|Streak|First meeting|Last meeting}} | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 1–0 || {{Winning percentage|1|0}} || Won 1 || 2009 || 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 44–10–4 || {{Winning percentage|44|10|4}} || Won 31 || 1896 || 2022 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 33–3–4 || {{Winning percentage|33|3|4}} || Won 15 || 1916 || 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 73–43–4 || {{Winning percentage|73|42|4}} || Won 1 || 1896 || 2023 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 5–0 || {{Winning percentage|4|0}} || Won 5 || 2008 || 2021 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 33–5–1 || {{Winning percentage|33|5|1}} || Won 18 || 1909 || 2020 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || 13–3 || {{Winning percentage|13|3}} || Won 6 || 1896 || 2019 | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
<ref name="data.clemsontigers.com"/> | |||
==Recruiting== | |||
Clemson Tigers Football '''Rivals.com'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2024/all-teams/football/recruiting |title=Rivals.com 2024 recruiting team rankings |publisher=Rivals.com |access-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240827104924/https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2024/all-teams/football |url-status=live }}</ref> team recruitment rankings under head coach Dabo Swinney: | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Clemson Tigers|Year|National rank|Commits}} | |||
| '''2024'''|| 10th || 22 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2023'''|| 10th || 22 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2023'''|| 10th || 26 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2022'''|| 10th || 20 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2021'''|| 6th || 19 | |||
|- | |||
|'''2020''' | |||
|2nd | |||
|23<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Team Rankings|url=https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2020/all-teams/football|access-date=2020-07-30|website=n.rivals.com|archive-date=June 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622161732/https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2020/all-teams/football|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|'''2019''' | |||
|9th | |||
|28<ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Team Rankings|url=https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2019/all-teams/football|access-date=2020-07-30|website=n.rivals.com|archive-date=February 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206102250/https://n.rivals.com/team_rankings/2019/all-teams/football|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| '''2018'''|| 8th || 17 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2017'''|| 22nd || 14 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2016'''|| 6th || 22 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2015'''|| 4th || 25 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2014'''|| 13th || 22 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2013'''|| 14th || 23 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2012'''|| 14th || 20 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2011'''|| 8th || 29 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2010'''|| 19th || 24 | |||
|- | |||
| '''2009'''|| 37th || 12 | |||
|} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{ |
{{Reflist|30em}} | ||
{{collegefootball-stub}} | |||
==Further reading== | |||
] | |||
* {{cite book|author1=Bob Bradley |author2=Sam Blackman |author3=Chuck Kriese |year=1999|title=Clemson: Where the Tigers Play – The History of Clemson University Athletics |publisher=Sports Publishing|isbn=1-58261-369-9}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
Seifried, C.S., Soles, M., Downs, B.J., & Bolton, C. (2019). The Build-up to Death Valley: Clemson Football Facilities Before Memorial Stadium. South Carolina Historical Magazine, 120(4), 234-259. | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Commons category}} | |||
* {{Official website}} | |||
{{Clemson Tigers football navbox}} | |||
{{Clemson University}} | |||
{{Atlantic Coast Conference football navbox}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] |
Latest revision as of 00:40, 22 December 2024
College Football Bowl Subdivision team; member of Atlantic Coast Conference
Clemson Tigers football | |||
---|---|---|---|
| |||
First season | 1896; 128 years ago | ||
Athletic director | Graham Neff | ||
Head coach | Dabo Swinney 15th season, 180–47 (.793) | ||
Stadium | Memorial Stadium (capacity: 82,000) | ||
Field | Frank Howard Field | ||
Year built | 1942 | ||
Field surface | Natural Grass | ||
Location | Clemson, South Carolina | ||
NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference | ||
Past conferences | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) (1896–1921) Southern Conference (SoCon) (1921–1952) | ||
All-time record | 804–473–44 (.625) | ||
Bowl record | 27–23 (.540) | ||
Playoff appearances | 7 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024) | ||
Playoff record | 6–4 (.600) | ||
Claimed national titles | 3 (1981, 2016, 2018) | ||
National finalist | 4 (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019) | ||
Conference titles | 28 TOTAL
ACC: 22 SIAA: 5 SoCon: 2 | ||
Division titles | 9 | ||
Rivalries | Alabama (rivalry) Auburn (rivalry) Florida State (rivalry) Georgia (rivalry) Georgia Tech (rivalry) NC State (rivalry) South Carolina (rivalry) | ||
Consensus All-Americans | 31 | ||
Current uniform | |||
Colors | Orange and regalia | ||
Fight song | Tiger Rag | ||
Mascot | The Tiger | ||
Marching band | Clemson University Tiger Band | ||
Outfitter | Nike | ||
Website | clemsontigers.com |
The Clemson Tigers football program are the American football team at Clemson University. The Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In recent years, the Tigers have been ranked among the most elite college football programs in the United States.
Formed in 1896, the program has an all-time record of 804–473–44, with a bowl record of 27-23. Clemson was a College Football Playoff finalist in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, defeating Alabama in both 2016 and 2018 to secure the national title. Clemson has had six undefeated seasons (including the first-ever 15–0 team), boasted six consecutive playoff appearances from 2015 to 2021, and retains 27 conference championships, including 8 since 2011. Its alumni include over 100 All-Americans, 17 Academic All-Americans and over 250 players in the National Football League. Clemson has had eight members inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: players Banks McFadden, Terry Kinard, Jeff Davis, and C. J. Spiller along with coaches John Heisman, Jess Neely, Frank Howard, and Danny Ford.
Clemson is one of the founding members of the ACC and holds 22 ACC titles, the most of any member. Its 28 total conference titles, including six consecutive ACC titles from 2015 to 2020, are the most of any ACC school. Clemson's most recent ACC title came in 2024, against SMU. Clemson's streak of eleven consecutive 10-win seasons from 2011-2022 ranked second in active streaks behind the Alabama Crimson Tide, coming to an end after Clemson's 2023 season where they finished with a 9-4 record. Among its eight undefeated regular seasons, Clemson has been crowned national champion 3 times. Clemson was named poll-era national champion and finished with its third perfect season with a win over Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl. Clemson was the National Championship Finalist Runner-up with a 14–1 record in 2015 before winning the National Title over No. 1 Alabama in college football's first National Championship rematch in 2016, and again in 2018. The Tigers have 46 bowl appearances, 20 of which are among the New Year's Six Bowls, including nine during the "Big Four" era. Clemson has 34 finishes in the final top 25 in the modern era and it finished in either the Associated Press final poll or the coaches' final poll a combined 59 times since 1939.
The Tigers play their home games in Memorial Stadium on the university's Clemson, South Carolina campus. The stadium's nickname, "Death Valley" was coined in 1948 by Presbyterian College head coach Lonnie McMillan after his teams were routinely defeated there. Memorial Stadium is among the largest stadiums in college football.
History
Main article: History of Clemson Tigers football See also: List of Clemson Tigers football seasonsWalter Riggs, often regarded as the "father of Clemson football," brought the sport to Clemson from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now Auburn University). The team's first game, played on Halloween 1896, resulted in a 2–1 record for the inaugural season. Riggs influenced the choice of the team mascot and colors. The Tigers’ early success included their first undefeated season in 1900 under coach John W. Heisman, who led the team to a 19–3–2 record. Heisman’s coaching set a precedent for excellence and innovation.
During the mid-20th century, the program experienced substantial growth under Frank Howard, who coached from 1940 to 1969. Howard's tenure saw Clemson win two Southern Conference championships and six ACC championships. Known for his colorful personality and imaginative storytelling, Howard integrated various offensive formations. His legacy includes the tradition of rubbing "Howard's Rock" before home games and the naming of the playing field at Memorial Stadium as "Frank Howard Field" in 1974.
The late 20th century and early 21st century saw the football program navigate through challenges and successes under multiple head coaches. Danny Ford led the Tigers to their first national championship in 1981, achieving an undefeated season. Ford's era was marked by NCAA sanctions due to recruiting violations, which impacted the program's reputation and success. Ken Hatfield, Ford’s successor, focused on cleaning up the program's image but faced criticism from fans, leading to his resignation. Subsequent coaches, including Tommy West, struggled to achieve consistent success until the hiring of Tommy Bowden in 1999, who maintained bowl eligibility every season, but failed to secure an ACC championship.
The modern era is defined by the leadership of Dabo Swinney, who became head coach in 2008. Swinney revitalized the program, leading the Tigers to multiple ACC championships and two national titles in 2016 and 2018. His tenure has been characterized by significant achievements, including the establishment of Clemson as a perennial contender in the College Football Playoff. Swinney’s ability to recruit and develop talent, combined with strategic hires like offensive coordinator Chad Morris and defensive coordinator Brent Venables, has sustained Clemson’s success. Notably, under Swinney, Clemson became the first team since 1897 to finish a season 15–0. In 2022, Clemson defeated Syracuse 27–21, extending the Tigers' home winning streak to 38, a new ACC record.
Conference affiliations
- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1896–1921)
- Southern Conference (1921–1953)
- Atlantic Coast Conference (1953–present)
Championships
National championships
Clemson claims three national championships. In 1981 they finished as the only undefeated team with a 22–15 victory over the No. 4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl, and were named the national champions by all major four consensus selectors (AP, Coaches, FWAA, and NFF). In 2016 and 2018 they won the College Football Playoff, defeating Alabama in the CFP National Championship Game both times.
Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl | Final AP | Final Coaches |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | Danny Ford | AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF | 12–0 | Won Orange Bowl | No. 1 | No. 1 |
2016 | Dabo Swinney | AP, Coaches, CFP, NFF | 14–1 | Won Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Won CFP National Championship |
No. 1 | No. 1 |
2018 | AP, Coaches, CFP, NFF | 15–0 | Won Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Won CFP National Championship |
No. 1 | No. 1 |
† Other selectors for 1981 included Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, FACT, FB News, Football Research, Helms, Litkenhous, Matthews, National Championship Foundation, New York Times, Poling, Sagarin, and Sporting News
†† Other selectors for 2016 include A&H, BR, CCR, CFRA, DuS, MCFR, SR, W
††† Other selectors for 2018 include A&H, BR, CCR, CFRA, CM, DuS, MCFR, SR, W
Conference championships
Clemson won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1900 and 1902 (tied 1903 and 1906) along with the Southern Conference title in 1940 and 1948. Their 22 ACC titles (20 outright, 2 tied) are the most ACC football championships. In 1965, South Carolina violated participation rules relating to two ineligible players and was required to forfeit wins against North Carolina State and Clemson. North Carolina State and Clemson were then declared co-champions.
Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1900 | John Heisman | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 6–0 | 4–0 |
1902 | 6–1 | 6–0 | ||
1903† | 4–1–1 | 2–0–1 | ||
1906† | Bob Williams | 4–0–3 | 4–0 | |
1940 | Frank Howard | Southern Conference | 6–2–1 | 4–0 |
1948 | 11–0 | 5–0 | ||
1956 | Atlantic Coast Conference | 7–2–2 | 4–0–1 | |
1958 | 8–3 | 5–1 | ||
1959 | 9–2 | 6–1 | ||
1965† | 5–5 | 5–2 | ||
1966 | 6–4 | 6–1 | ||
1967 | 6–4 | 6–0 | ||
1978 | Charley Pell | 11–1 | 6–0 | |
1981 | Danny Ford | 12–0 | 6–0 | |
1982 | 9–1–1 | 6–0 | ||
1986 | 8–2–2 | 5–1–1 | ||
1987 | 10–2 | 6–1 | ||
1988 | 10–2 | 6–1 | ||
1991 | Ken Hatfield | 9–2–1 | 6–0–1 | |
2011 | Dabo Swinney | 10–4 | 6–2 | |
2015 | 14–1 | 8–0 | ||
2016 | 14–1 | 7-1 | ||
2017 | 12–2 | 7–1 | ||
2018 | 15–0 | 8–0 | ||
2019 | 14–1 | 8–0 | ||
2020 | 10–2 | 8–1 | ||
2022 | 11–3 | 8–0 | ||
2024 | 10–3 | 7–1 |
† Co-champions
Division championships
In 2005, the Atlantic Coast Conference divided into two divisions of six teams each and began holding an ACC Championship Game at the conclusion of the regular football season to determine the conference champion. Clemson won its first outright ACC Atlantic Division championship in 2009. In 2012 and 2016, Clemson was co-champion of the Atlantic Division. On August 18, 2011, Georgia Tech vacated their 2009 ACC Championship Game victory over Clemson due to NCAA violations. The game is considered by the NCAA and ACC to have no winner.
Year | Coach | Division championship | Opponent | CG result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Dabo Swinney | ACC Atlantic | Georgia Tech | L 34–39 (vacated) |
2011 | Virginia Tech | W 38–10 | ||
2015 | North Carolina | W 45–37 | ||
2016 | Virginia Tech | W 42–35 | ||
2017 | Miami | W 38–3 | ||
2018 | Pittsburgh | W 42–10 | ||
2019 | Virginia | W 62–17 | ||
2022 | North Carolina | W 39–10 |
Playoffs
Clemson was selected as the one seed in the second College Football Playoff and defeated the fourth seed Oklahoma on December 31, 2015, in the 2015 Orange Bowl. They lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the championship game on January 11, 2016. Clemson was selected to the third College Football Playoff as the second seed and defeated the third seed Ohio State on December 31, 2016, in the 2016 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the national championship games in both 2017 and 2019. Clemson has a 6–4 record in playoff games through the 2019 season.
Year | Seed | Opponent | Round | Result | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | 1 | No. 4 Oklahoma | Semi-finals – Orange Bowl | W 37–17 | notes |
No. 2 Alabama | Final – CFP National Championship Game | L 40–45 | notes | ||
2016 | 2 | No. 3 Ohio State | Semi-finals – Fiesta Bowl | W 31–0 | notes |
No. 1 Alabama | Final – CFP National Championship Game | W 35–31 | notes | ||
2017 | 1 | No. 4 Alabama | Semi-finals – Sugar Bowl | L 6–24 | notes |
2018 | 2 | No. 3 Notre Dame | Semi-finals – Cotton Bowl | W 30–3 | notes |
No. 1 Alabama | Final – CFP National Championship Game | W 44–16 | notes | ||
2019 | 3 | No. 2 Ohio State | Semi-finals – Fiesta Bowl | W 29–23 | notes |
No. 1 LSU | Final – CFP National Championship Game | L 25–42 | notes | ||
2020 | 2 | No. 3 Ohio State | Semi-finals – Sugar Bowl | L 28–49 | notes |
National polls
Clemson has ended their football season ranked 38 times in either the AP or Coaches Poll.
Clemson had 12 consecutive 10-win seasons from 2011 to 2022. Before the streak came to an end in 2023, it was the 2nd longest active streak behind Alabama with 16.
Year | Record | AP Poll† | Coaches‡ | Harris |
---|---|---|---|---|
1939 | 9–1–0 | 12 | – | – |
1948 | 11–0–0 | 11 | – | – |
1950 | 9–0–1 | 10 | 12 | – |
1951 | 7–3–0 | 20 | – | – |
1956 | 7–2–2 | 19 | – | – |
1957 | 7–3–0 | – | 18 | – |
1958 | 8–3–0 | 12 | 13 | – |
1959 | 9–2–0 | 11 | 11 | – |
1977 | 8–3–1 | 19 | – | – |
1978 | 11–1–0 | 6 | 7 | – |
1981 | 12–0–0 | 1 | 1 | – |
1982 | 9–1–1 | 8 | – | – |
1983 | 9–1–1 | 11 | – | – |
1986 | 8–2–2 | 17 | 19 | – |
1987 | 10–2–0 | 12 | 10 | – |
1988 | 10–2–0 | 9 | 8 | – |
1989 | 10–2–0 | 12 | 11 | – |
1990 | 10–2–0 | 9 | 9 | – |
1991 | 9–2–1 | 18 | 17 | – |
1993 | 9–3–0 | 23 | 22 | – |
2000 | 9–3 | 16 | 14 | – |
2003 | 9–4 | 22 | 22 | – |
2005 | 8–4 | 21 | 21 | 23 |
2007 | 9–4 | 21 | 22 | 16 |
2009 | 9–5 | 24 | – | – |
2011 | 10–4 | 22 | 22 | 14 |
2012 | 11–2 | 11 | 9 | 13 |
2013 | 11–2 | 8 | 7 | 11 |
2014 | 10–3 | 15 | 15 | – |
2015 | 14–1 | 2 | 2 | |
2016 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | |
2017 | 12–2 | 4 | 4 | |
2018 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | |
2019 | 14–1 | 2 | 2 | |
2020 | 10–2 | 3 | 3 | |
2021 | 10–3 | 14 | 16 | |
2022 | 11–3 | 12 | 13 | |
2023 | 9–4 | 20 | 20 |
† AP Poll began selecting the nation's Top 20 teams in 1936. Only the Top 10 teams were recognized from 1962 to 1967. The AP Poll expanded back to the Top 20 teams in 1968. In 1989, it began recognizing the Top 25 teams.
‡ UPI/Coaches Poll began selecting its Top 20 teams on a weekly basis in 1950 before expanding to the nation's Top 25 teams in 1990.
Bowl games
Main article: List of Clemson Tigers bowl gamesClemson holds a 27–23 record in bowl games through the 2022 season. This is a list of Clemson's 16 most recent bowl games.
Season | Coach | Bowl | Date | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Dabo Swinney | Meineke Car Care Bowl | December 31, 2010 | South Florida | L 26–31 |
2011 | Dabo Swinney | Orange Bowl | January 4, 2012 | West Virginia | L 33–70 |
2012 | Dabo Swinney | Chick-fil-A Bowl | December 31, 2012 | LSU | W 25–24 |
2013 | Dabo Swinney | Orange Bowl | January 3, 2014 | Ohio State | W 40–35 |
2014 | Dabo Swinney | Russell Athletic Bowl | December 29, 2014 | Oklahoma | W 40–6 |
2015 | Dabo Swinney | Orange Bowl | December 31, 2015 | Oklahoma | W 37–17 |
2015 | Dabo Swinney | 2016 CFP National Championship | January 11, 2016 | Alabama | L 40–45 |
2016 | Dabo Swinney | Fiesta Bowl | December 31, 2016 | Ohio State | W 31–0 |
2016 | Dabo Swinney | 2017 CFP National Championship | January 9, 2017 | Alabama | W 35–31 |
2017 | Dabo Swinney | Sugar Bowl | January 1, 2018 | Alabama | L 6–24 |
2018 | Dabo Swinney | Cotton Bowl | December 29, 2018 | Notre Dame | W 30–3 |
2018 | Dabo Swinney | 2019 CFP National Championship | January 7, 2019 | Alabama | W 44–16 |
2019 | Dabo Swinney | Fiesta Bowl | December 28, 2019 | Ohio State | W 29–23 |
2019 | Dabo Swinney | 2020 CFP National Championship | January 13, 2020 | LSU | L 25–42 |
2020 | Dabo Swinney | Sugar Bowl | January 1, 2021 | Ohio State | L 28–49 |
2021 | Dabo Swinney | Cheez-It Bowl | December 29, 2021 | Iowa State | W 20–13 |
2022 | Dabo Swinney | Orange Bowl | December 30, 2022 | Tennessee | L 14–31 |
2023 | Dabo Swinney | Gator Bowl | December 29, 2023 | Kentucky | W 38–35 |
Head coaches
Main article: List of Clemson Tigers head football coachesTenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1896–1899 | Walter M Riggs | 2 | 6–3 | .667 |
1897 | William M. Williams | 1 | 2–2 | .500 |
1898 | John A. Penton | 1 | 3–1 | .750 |
1900–1903 | John W. Heisman | 4 | 19–3–2 | .833 |
1904 | Shack Shealy | 1 | 3–3–1 | .500 |
1905 | Edward B. "Eddie" Cochems | 1 | 3–2–1 | .583 |
1906–1915 | Bob Williams | 5 | 22–14–6 | .595 |
1907 | Frank J. Shaughnessy | 1 | 4–4–0 | .500 |
1908 | Stein Stone | 1 | 1–6–0 | .143 |
1910–1912 | Frank M. Dobson | 3 | 11–12–1 | .479 |
1916 | Wayne Hart | 1 | 3–6 | .333 |
1917–1920 | Edward A. Donahue | 4 | 21–12–3 | .625 |
1921–1922 | Edward J. "Doc" Stewart | 2 | 6–10–2 | .389 |
1923–1926 | Bud Saunders | 4 | 10–22–1 | .318 |
1927–1930 | Josh C. Cody | 4 | 29–11–1 | .720 |
1931–1939 | Jess C. Neely | 9 | 43–35–7 | .547 |
1940–1969 | Frank Howard | 30 | 165–118–12 | .580 |
1970–1972 | Hootie Ingram | 3 | 12–21 | .364 |
1973–1976 | Jimmy "Red" Parker | 4 | 17–25–2 | .409 |
1977–1978 | Charley Pell | 2 | 18–4–1 | .804 |
1978–1989 | Danny Ford | 12 | 96–29–4 | .760 |
1990–1993 | Ken Hatfield | 4 | 32–13–1 | .707 |
1993–1998 | Tommy West | 6 | 31–28 | .525 |
1999–2008 | Tommy Bowden | 10 | 72–45 | .615 |
2008–current | Dabo Swinney | 14 | 170–44 | .798 |
Coaching staff
Clemson Tigers | |||
Name | Position | Consecutive season at Clemson in current position | Previous position |
---|---|---|---|
Garrett Riley | Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks | 1st | TCU – Offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks (2021–2022) |
Wes Goodwin | Defensive coordinator / linebackers | 2nd | Clemson – Senior defensive assistant (2018–2021) |
Mickey Conn | Co–defensive coordinator / safeties | 2nd | Clemson – Safeties / special teams coordinator (2021) |
Michael Reed | Special teams coordinator / cornerbacks | 2nd | Clemson – Defensive backs (2013–2021) |
Matt Luke | Offensive line | 1st | |
Tyler Grisham | Wide receivers | 4th | Clemson – Offensive analyst (2016–2019) |
C. J. Spiller | Running backs | 3rd | Clemson – Graduate intern (2020) |
Kyle Richardson | Tight ends / passing game coordinator | 2nd | Clemson – Senior offensive assistant (2016–2021) |
Lemanski Hall | Defensive ends | 6th | Clemson – Senior defensive analyst (2017) |
Nick Eason | Defensive tackles / run game coordinator | 2nd | Auburn – Defensive line (2021) |
Joey Batson | Director of football strength & conditioning | 27th | Furman – Director of strength training (1996) |
Reference: |
Clemson traditions
- Howard's Rock In the early 1960s, the rock was given to then head coach Frank Howard by a friend, Samuel Columbus Jones (Clemson Class of 1919). It was presented to Howard by Jones, saying "Here's a rock from Death Valley, California, to Death Valley, South Carolina." Howard didn't think anything else about the rock and it was used as a door stop in his office for several years. In September 1966, while cleaning out his office, Howard noticed the rock and told IPTAY executive director Gene Willimon, "Take this rock and throw it over the fence or out in the ditch...do something with it, but get it out of my office." Willimon had the rock placed on a pedestal at the top of the east endzone hill that the team ran down to enter the field for games. On September 24, 1966, the first time Clemson players ran by the rock, they beat conference rival Virginia, 40–35. Howard, seizing on the motivational potential of "The Rock", told his players, "Give me 110% or keep your filthy hands off of my rock." The team started rubbing the Rock for the first game of 1967, which was a 23–6 waxing of ACC foe Wake Forest.
- As a result, it is now a tradition for the Clemson Army ROTC to protect the Rock for the 24 hours prior to the Clemson-South Carolina game when held in Death Valley. ROTC cadets keep a steady drum cadence around the rock prior to the game, which can be heard across the campus. Part of the tradition comes after unknown parties vandalized the Rock prior to the 1992 South Carolina-Clemson game. On June 2, 2013, Howard's Rock was again vandalized when the case containing it was broken and a portion of the rock was removed by an apparent fan of the Tigers, who was eventually arrested following a police investigation.
- Gathering at the Paw One of the most criticized and misunderstood traditions in all of college football is Clemson's "Gathering At The Paw." After every home football game, fans are allowed to come onto the field to sing the alma mater, and gather around the center of the field. While many say it's "rushing" the field, in truth it's more of a gathering as there is a clock that tells fans when they can come onto the field. There is time given for players and coaches to get off of the field. It is done after every home game, win or lose.
- Running Down the Hill Probably the most highly publicized tradition of the Clemson Tigers football team is the entrance, which Brent Musburger referred to as "The Most Exciting 25 seconds in College Football." Running down "The Hill" originally started out of practicality. Before the west stands were built, the football team dressed across the street at Fike Field House and ran from there to the gate and down the hill onto the field. Now, after exiting the stadium on the west side, the players load into buses which, escorted by police officers, make their way around the stadium to the east side where The Hill is located. This scene is shown on the JumboTron inside the stadium. When the buses arrive at the east side the players get out and gather at the top of the hill and stand around Howard's Rock; once most of the players are out of the buses and ready to go a cannon sounds; the band begins to play Tiger Rag and the players make their way down the hill. The spelling out of C-L-E-M-S-O-N during this Tiger Rag is one of, if not the, loudest times it will be spelled out during the game.
- Ring of Honor Created in 1994, the Ring of Honor is the highest award given to former coaches, players, and other individuals who made a direct impact on the football program.
- The Graveyard The Graveyard is a mock cemetery near the football practice fields that features tombstones commemorating Clemson's victories over ranked opponents on the road.
- First Friday Parade The Clemson football season kicks off each year with the annual First Friday Parade. The once a year event takes place on the Friday afternoon prior to the first home football game. Floats from various fraternities and sororities and other campus organizations are represented in the parade that rolls down main street in Clemson. The parade culminates at the Amphitheater in the middle of campus where the first Pep Rally of the year takes place. The Grand Marshal of the Parade is featured at the Pep Rally. Recent Grand Marshals have ranged from current PGA professional Dillard Pruitt, to College Football Hall of Fame legends Jess Neely and Frank Howard, to noted television announcers Brent Musburger and Ara Parseghian.
- Tailgating On October 15, 2012, Southern Living named Clemson the South's best tailgate.
- Military Appreciation Game This honors Clemson's history as a military school. The team wears purple uniforms (their secondary color) for the annual Military Appreciation Game.
Rivalries
Alabama
Main article: Alabama–Clemson football rivalryThe two southern schools have long, decorated histories in the sport of college football. They first met on the football field on November 29, 1900. Clemson won the inaugural matchup by a score of 35–0. The Crimson Tide and Tigers met again in 1904 and 1905, with Clemson winning both games. Beginning with the next meeting between the two squads in 1909, Alabama won the next thirteen matchups against Clemson. The Tide posted the biggest margin of victory in the rivalry in 1931, beating the Tigers by a margin of 74–7. In the first seven games of Alabama's 13-game streak, Clemson only score seven total points and was shut out in six of the seven games. After a 56–0 shutout Alabama victory in 1975, the squads didn't meet again until 2008, when they squared off on opening weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. The Tide emerged victorious with a 34–10 victory.
The last four matchups between the squads have had national championship implications and have greatly re-intensified the rivalry. The teams squared off in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship in Glendale, Arizona, resulting in Alabama emerging with a thrilling 45–40 victory. The next year, the teams again found themselves doing battle in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship in Tampa, Florida, with Clemson emerging with a last-second 35–31 victory and their first win over the Crimson Tide since 1905. Once again the teams met in the 2018 Sugar Bowl semifinal in New Orleans, Louisiana with a trip to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game on the line. Alabama won by a score of 24–6 following two costly Clemson interceptions in the second half. Their most recent meeting was in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship. This time, Clemson dismantled the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide in a 44–16 rout to win its third national title.
Alabama leads the series 14–5 through the 2023 season.
Auburn
Main article: Auburn–Clemson football rivalryThese old rivals (which are often called sister schools) first played in 1899, but until 2010, had not faced each other in the regular season since 1971. Along with snapping a 14-game losing streak to the Tigers of the Plains, Clemson also snapped Auburn's 17-game winning streak coming off of the 2009–2011 seasons after a home-and-home series in the 2010–11 seasons. The Georgia Dome then hosted the Auburn–Clemson rivalry the following year in the 2012 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Clemson defeated Auburn 26–19 riding on a 231-yard performance by Andre Ellington. This game was notable due to Sammy Watkins' absence, having been suspended the first two games due to a drug-related arrest in May 2012. Auburn leads the overall series 34–15–2 through the 2018 season.
Boston College
Main article: O'Rourke–McFadden TrophyThe O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy was created in 2008 by the Boston College Gridiron Club to honor the tradition at both schools and to honor the legacy of Charlie O'Rourke and Banks McFadden, who played during the leather helmet era. The club plans to make this an annual presentation. Clemson first met Boston College on the football field in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic, the first ever bowl game for the Tigers and Eagles. Over the next 43 years, the teams met a total of 14 times. In 2005, Boston College joined the ACC and the Atlantic Division. Since then, the game has been played on an annual basis with Clemson winning the last 11 meetings. As of 2022 the Tigers lead the series 21–9–2.
Florida State
Main article: Clemson–Florida State football rivalryBetween 1999 and 2007 the ACC Atlantic Division matchup between Clemson and Florida State was referred to as the "Bowden Bowl" to reflect the father-son head coach matchup between Bobby Bowden (Father, FSU) and Tommy Bowden (Son, Clemson). Their first meeting, in 1999, was the first time in Division I-A history that a father and a son met as opposing head coaches in a football game. Bobby Bowden won the first four matchups extending FSU's winning streak over Clemson to 11 dating back to 1992. Since 2003, Clemson is 11–6, including a 26–10 win in Clemson over then-No. 3 FSU. Also during this time the Tigers recorded a 27–20 win in Tallahassee in 2006 which broke a 17-year losing streak in Doak Campbell Stadium. 2007 was the last Bowden Bowl game as Tommy resigned as head coach in October 2008. No. 3 Clemson pulled off a thriller in Tallahassee in 2016, 37–34, over the No. 12-ranked Seminoles. In 2018, No. 2 Clemson defeated Florida State in Tallahassee 59–10, which tied the Seminoles' worst loss margin in history. This marked a 2nd time the Tigers have beaten the Seminoles by more than 17-points. Clemson did it again in 2019, beating FSU 45–14. FSU has defeated Clemson by more than 17-points nine times. The most lopsided contest occurred in 1993, with the FSU squad winning 57–0. As of 2022, Florida State leads the overall series 20–15. Before the dissolution of divisions in ACC Football as of 2023, the annual Clemson-Florida State game often decided which team would represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship. However, under the ACC's new scheduling system, Clemson and Florida State are designated as permanent rivals and will continue to compete for the title every year. Because of the new ACC scheduling system, there is a chance these rivals could face each other a second time in the ACC Championship.
Georgia
Main article: Clemson–Georgia football rivalryThe Bulldogs and the Tigers have played each other 64 times beginning in 1897, with the 64th meeting played in 2014. Clemson's only regular-season losses of the 1978, 1982, and 1991 campaigns all came at the hands of Georgia "between the hedges", whereas Georgia's only regular-season setback during the three years of the Herschel Walker era came in Death Valley during Danny Ford's 1981 national championship run.
During the two programs' simultaneous glory days of the early 1980s, no rivalry in all of college football was more important at the national level. The Bulldogs and Tigers played each other every season from 1973 to 1987, with Scott Woerner's dramatic returns in 1980 and the nine turnovers forced by the Tigers in 1981 effectively settling the eventual national champion. No rivalry of that period was more competitive, as evidenced by the critical 11th-hour field goals kicked by Kevin Butler in 1984 and by David Treadwell more than once later in the decade. Despite blowouts in 1990 by the Tigers and in 1994 and 2003 by the Bulldogs, the series typically has remained very competitive with evenly matched games. Most recently, Georgia defeated Clemson 10–3 in the 2021 Duke's Mayo Classic with neither team scoring an offensive touchdown; Georgia went on to win the national title in 2021. The Bulldogs maintains a 43–18–4 lead in the series.
Georgia Tech
Main article: Clemson–Georgia Tech football rivalryClemson's rivalry with Georgia Tech dates to 1898 with the first game being played in Augusta, Georgia. Notably, both programs share the privilege of having John Heisman as a former coach. It was played in Atlanta for 44 of the first 47 match-ups, until Georgia Tech joined the ACC. When the Yellowjackets joined the ACC in 1978, the series moved to a more traditional home-and-home setup beginning with the 1983 game. When the ACC expanded to 12 teams and split into two divisions in 2005, Clemson and Georgia Tech were placed in opposite divisions but were designated permanent cross-divisional rivals so that the series may continue uninterrupted. In the new system without divisions, they remain as such. The two schools are 127 miles apart and connected to each other by Interstate 85. This distance is slightly closer than that between Clemson and traditional rival South Carolina (137 miles). Georgia Tech leads the series 50–35–2 with Clemson winning the last 8 in a row.
NC State
Main article: Textile BowlThe yearly conference and divisional match-up with NC State is known as the Textile Bowl for the schools' similar missions in research and development for the textile industry in the Carolinas. The first meeting of the two schools occurred in 1899. Clemson has won 18 out of 23 contests since 2000. It is a particularly bitter rivalry amongst fans and students of both schools, even though it is not as competitive as the vitriol would suggest. Clemson holds a 60–30–1 series advantage through the 2023 season. NC State has won 2 out of the last 3 games in the rivalry.
South Carolina
Main article: Clemson–South Carolina rivalryThe Clemson–South Carolina rivalry, which dates back to 1896, is the largest annual sporting event in terms of ticket sales in the state of South Carolina. From 1896 to 1959, the Clemson–South Carolina game was played on the fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina and was referred to as "Big Thursday." Beginning in 1960, an alternating-site format was implemented using both teams' home stadiums. The annual game has since been designated "The Palmetto Bowl." The last eight contests between the programs have been nationally televised (4 on ESPN, 4 on ESPN2). Clemson holds a commanding 73–43-4 lead in the series through the 2022 season. It is often considered one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football, on a similar level to the Auburn-Alabama and Ohio State-Michigan rivalries, respectively.
Individual award winners
See also: Clemson Tigers football statistical leadersCollege Football Hall of Fame inductees
In 1951, the College Football Hall of Fame opened in South Bend, Indiana. Clemson has had 3 players and 4 former coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Name | Years | Position | Inducted | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Heisman | 1900–1903 | Head coach | 1954 | |
Banks McFadden | 1937–1939 | RB | 1959 | |
Jess Neely | 1931–1939 | Head coach | 1971 | |
Frank Howard | 1940–1969 | Head coach | 1989 | |
Terry Kinard | 1978–1982 | S | 2001 | |
Jeff Davis | 1978–1981 | LB | 2007 | |
Danny Ford | 1978–1989 | Head coach | 2017 | |
C. J. Spiller | 2006–2009 | Running back | 2021 |
Retired numbers
See also: List of NCAA football retired numbersClemson Tigers retired numbers | |||||
No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Year retired | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Steve Fuller | 1975–1978 | QB | 1979 | |
28 | C. J. Spiller | 2006–2009 | RB | 2010 | |
66 | Banks McFadden | 1937–1939 | HB | 1987 |
- Notes
- No. 4 was brought out of retirement in 2014 to be worn by quarterback Deshaun Watson.
- Number 28 was brought out of retirement in 2016 to be worn by running back Tavien Feaster, with Spiller's blessing.
- McFadden's has also his #23 retired in Clemson's basketball.
National award winners
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National coaching awards
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Consensus All-Americans
See also: College Football All-America TeamThe NCAA recognizes All-Americans selected by the Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), The Sporting News (TSN), and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) to determine if a player is regarded as a Consensus or Unanimous All-American. To be selected a Consensus All-American, a player must be chosen to the first team on at least three of the five official selectors as recognized by the NCAA. If a player is named an All-American by all five organizations, he is recognized as a Unanimous All-America. Clemson players have been honored 28 times as Consensus All-Americans, and 6 times as Unanimous All-Americas.
Year(s) | Name | Number | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Harry Olszewski | 51 | G |
1974 | Bennie Cunningham | 85 | TE |
1979 | Jim Stuckey | 83 | DL |
1981 | Jeff Davis | 45 | LB |
1981–1982† | Terry Kinard | 43 | DB |
1983 | William Perry | 66 | DL |
1986 | Terrence Flagler | 33 | RB |
1987 | David Treadwell | 18 | PK |
1988 | Donnell Woolford | 20 | DB |
1990 | Stacy Long | 67 | OL |
1991 | Jeb Flesch | 59 | OL |
1991 | Levon Kirkland | 44 | LB |
1993 | Stacy Seegars | 79 | OL |
1997 | Anthony Simmons | 41 | LB |
2000 | Keith Adams | 43 | LB |
2005 | Tye Hill | 8 | DB |
2006† | Gaines Adams | 93 | DL |
2009† | C. J. Spiller | 28 | KR/AP |
2010† | Da'Quan Bowers | 93 | DL |
2011 | Dwayne Allen | 83 | TE |
2013–2014 | Vic Beasley | 3 | DL |
2015 | Deshaun Watson | 4 | QB |
2015 | Shaq Lawson | 90 | DL |
2018 | Clelin Ferrell | 99 | DL |
2018 | Mitch Hyatt | 75 | OL |
2018† | Christian Wilkins | 42 | DL |
2019† | Isaiah Simmons | 11 | LB |
2019 | John Simpson | 74 | OL |
2020 | Travis Etienne | 9 | AP |
Atlantic Coast Conference awards
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Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary football team
On July 23, 2002, in celebration of the Atlantic Coast Conference's 50th Anniversary, a 120-member blue ribbon committee selected the Top 50 football players in ACC history. Clemson led all conference schools with the most players selected to the Golden Anniversary team. Each of Clemson's honorees are All-Americans and former NFL players. The nine selectees from Clemson are:
- Joe Bostic (1975–1978)
- Jerry Butler (1975–1978)
- Bennie Cunningham (1973–1975)
- Jeff Davis (1978–1981)
- Steve Fuller (1975–1978)
- Terry Kinard (1978–1982)
- Michael Dean Perry (1984–1987)
- William Perry (1981–1984)
- Anthony Simmons (1995–1997)
NFL players
Source ESPN
- Davis Allen - TE, Los Angeles Rams No. 87
- Andrew Booth Jr. - CB, Dallas Cowboys No. 25
- Bryan Bresee - DT, New Orleans Saints No. 90
- Jackson Carman - OT, Miami Dolphins No. 76
- Tyler Davis - DT, Los Angeles Rams No. 90
- Travis Etienne – RB, Jacksonville Jaguars No. 1
- Clelin Ferrell – DE, Washington Commanders No. 99
- KJ Henry - DE, Philadelphia Eagles No. 50
- Tee Higgins – WR, Cincinnati Bengals No. 5
- DeAndre Hopkins – WR, Kansas City Chiefs No. 8
- Grady Jarrett – DT, Atlanta Falcons No. 97
- Dexter Lawrence – DT, New York Giants No. 97
- Trevor Lawrence – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars No. 16
- Ray-Ray McCloud – WR, Atlanta Falcons No. 34
- Jordan McFadden - OT, Los Angeles Chargers No. 71
- Trayvon Mullen – CB, Baltimore Ravens No. 30
- Myles Murphy - DE, Cincinnati Bengals No. 99
- Ruke Orhorhoro - DT, Atlanta Falcons No.98
- Bradley Pinion – P, Atlanta Falcons No. 13
- Will Putnam - C, Las Vegas Raiders No. 67
- D. J. Reader – DT, Detroit Lions No. 98
- Justyn Ross - WR, Kansas City Chiefs No. 82
- Will Shipley - RB, Philadelphia Eagles No. 28
- Isaiah Simmons – LB, New York Giants No. 19
- John Simpson – OG, New York Jets No. 76
- Trenton Simpson - LB, Baltimore Ravens No. 23
- Baylon Spector - LB, Buffalo Bills No. 54
- A. J. Terrell – CB, Atlanta Falcons No. 24
- Xavier Thomas - DE, Arizona Cardinals No. 54
- Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - LB, Philadelphia Eagles No. 54
- K'Von Wallace – S, Seattle Seahawks No. 24
- Deshaun Watson – QB, Cleveland Browns No. 4
- Nate Wiggins - CB, Baltimore Ravens No. 2
- Christian Wilkins – DT, Las Vegas Raiders No. 94
- DeShawn Williams - DT, Carolina Panthers No. 75
- Mike Williams – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers No. 18
All-time record vs. current ACC teams
Opponent | Won | Lost | Tied | Percentage | Streak | First meeting | Last meeting |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston College | 21 | 9 | 2 | .688 | Won 11 | 1940 | 2022 |
California | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | Lost 1 | 1991 | 1991 |
Duke | 37 | 17 | 1 | .682 | Lost 1 | 1934 | 2023 |
Florida State | 16 | 21 | 0 | .432 | Won 1 | 1970 | 2024 |
Georgia Tech | 36 | 50 | 2 | .420 | Won 9 | 1898 | 2023 |
Louisville | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | Lost 1 | 2014 | 2024 |
Miami | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | Lost 1 | 1945 | 2023 |
North Carolina | 40 | 19 | 1 | .675 | Won 6 | 1897 | 2023 |
NC State | 61 | 30 | 1 | .668 | Won 1 | 1899 | 2024 |
Notre Dame | 5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | Won 1 | 1977 | 2023 |
Pittsburgh | 3 | 3 | 0 | .400 | Won 1 | 1977 | 2024 |
SMU | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Stanford | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | Won 2 | 1986 | 2024 |
Syracuse | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | Won 6 | 1995 | 2023 |
Virginia | 41 | 8 | 1 | .830 | Won 5 | 1955 | 2024 |
Virginia Tech | 24 | 12 | 1 | .653 | Won 7 | 1900 | 2024 |
Wake Forest | 72 | 17 | 1 | .806 | Won 16 | 1933 | 2024 |
Totals | 371 | 197 | 10 | .651 |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACC temporarily added Notre Dame as a member for just the 2020 season. Wins and losses to Notre Dame in 2020 count toward standings and all-time records.
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of January 3, 2023.
2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
vs Georgia (Aflac Kickoff Game) | vs LSU | at LSU | vs Wofford | vs Troy | vs Georgia | at Georgia |
vs Appalachian State | vs Troy | vs Georgia Southern | at South Carolina | vs South Carolina | at South Carolina | vs South Carolina |
vs The Citadel | vs Furman | vs Charleston Southern | vs Notre Dame | at Notre Dame | ||
vs South Carolina | at South Carolina | vs South Carolina | vs The Citadel |
2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 | 2035 | 2036 | 2037 |
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vs Notre Dame | at Georgia | vs Georgia | vs South Carolina | vs Oklahoma | at Oklahoma | at South Carolina |
at South Carolina | vs South Carolina | at South Carolina | at Notre Dame | at South Carolina | vs South Carolina | vs Notre Dame |
Clemson vs. in-state NCAA Division I teams
School | Record | Percentage | Streak | First meeting | Last meeting |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 1–0 | 1.000 | Won 1 | 2009 | 2009 |
Furman Paladins | 44–10–4 | .793 | Won 31 | 1896 | 2022 |
Presbyterian Blue Hose | 33–3–4 | .875 | Won 15 | 1916 | 2010 |
South Carolina Gamecocks | 73–43–4 | .630 | Won 1 | 1896 | 2023 |
South Carolina State Bulldogs | 5–0 | 1.000 | Won 5 | 2008 | 2021 |
The Citadel Bulldogs | 33–5–1 | .859 | Won 18 | 1909 | 2020 |
Wofford Terriers | 13–3 | .813 | Won 6 | 1896 | 2019 |
Recruiting
Clemson Tigers Football Rivals.com team recruitment rankings under head coach Dabo Swinney:
Year | National rank | Commits |
---|---|---|
2024 | 10th | 22 |
2023 | 10th | 22 |
2023 | 10th | 26 |
2022 | 10th | 20 |
2021 | 6th | 19 |
2020 | 2nd | 23 |
2019 | 9th | 28 |
2018 | 8th | 17 |
2017 | 22nd | 14 |
2016 | 6th | 22 |
2015 | 4th | 25 |
2014 | 13th | 22 |
2013 | 14th | 23 |
2012 | 14th | 20 |
2011 | 8th | 29 |
2010 | 19th | 24 |
2009 | 37th | 12 |
References
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The NCAA vacated the final three games of the football team's 2009 season – a loss to rival Georgia, the Atlantic Coast Conference championship win over Clemson and the Orange Bowl loss to Iowa – for using an ineligible player. It was the Yellow Jackets' first season under coach Paul Johnson.
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Watson has worn uniform No. 4 – his number at Gainesville High School – thanks to former Clemson standout quarterback Steve Fuller, who agreed to have his jersey come out of retirement several years ago, not long after Watson committed to coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers.
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The Clemson freshmen numbers were released today and running back Tavien Feaster will wearing No. 28, the first player to do since explosive playmaker C. J. Spiller was in Tiger Town. Feaster wore No. 28 throughout high school and it seems that the number will come out of retirement for the explosive freshman this season.
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In 1987, both his uniform numbers—23 in basketball and 66 in football—were retired by Clemson Athletics.
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Further reading
- Bob Bradley; Sam Blackman; Chuck Kriese (1999). Clemson: Where the Tigers Play – The History of Clemson University Athletics. Sports Publishing. ISBN 1-58261-369-9.
Seifried, C.S., Soles, M., Downs, B.J., & Bolton, C. (2019). The Build-up to Death Valley: Clemson Football Facilities Before Memorial Stadium. South Carolina Historical Magazine, 120(4), 234-259.
External links
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