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Clemson Tigers
Current season: 2025 Clemson Tigers
First season	1896
Athletic director	Graham Neff
Head coach	Dabo Swinney
15th year, 170–40 (.810)
Home stadium	Clemson Memorial Stadium
Field	Frank Howard Field
Year built	1942
Stadium capacity	82,000
Stadium surface	Natural Grass
Location	Clemson, South Carolina
League	NCAA Division I (FBS)
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), 1953-present
Division	ACC Atlantic Division
Past conferences	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) (1896-1921) Southern Conference (1921-1953)
All-time history
Clemson Tigers Historical Teams 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
All-time record	798–472–45 (.624)
Postseason bowl record	27–23 (.540)
Playoff appearances	7 (2015), (2016), (2017), (2018), (2019), (2020), (2024)
Playoff record	(6-4)
Claimed national titles	3 (1981, 2016, 2018)
Conference titles	27 (4 SIAA, 2 Southern, 21 ACC)
Division titles	8 (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015-2019)
Heisman winners	0
Consensus All-Americans	Template:American college football All-Americans
Current uniform
Colors	Regalia, Orange, and White
Fight song	Tiger Rag (Fight Song)
Mascot	The Tiger
Marching band	Clemson Tiger Band
Outfitter	Nike
Rivals	South Carolina (rivalry) Georgia Tech (rivalry) Florida State (rivalry)Georgia (rivalry)NC State (rivalry) Boston College (rivalry)AuburnAlabama (rivalry)Notre Dame
Website	www.clemsontigers.com/s

The Clemson Tigers football team represents Clemson University located in Clemson, South Carolina. The Tigers are a member of the NCAA FBS Atlantic Coast Conference and play their home games at Clemson Memorial Stadium in Clemson. The Tigers are currently coached by Dabo Swinney.

Contents

• 1 Overview
• 2 Conference affiliations
• 3 Championships
  • 3.1 National championships
  • 3.2 Conference championships
  • 3.3 Division championships
• 4 Playoffs
• 5 Seasons
  • 5.1 2020s
  • 5.2 2010s
  • 5.3 2000s
  • 5.4 1990s
  • 5.5 1980s
• 6 Overview
• 7 History 
  • 7.1 Early history (1896–1899)
  • 7.2 John Heisman era (1900–1903)
  • 7.3 Post-Heisman era (1904–1926)
  • 7.4 Josh Cody era (1927–1930)
  • 7.5 Jess Neely era (1931–1939)
  • 7.6 Frank Howard era (1940–1969)
  • 7.7 Hootie Ingram era (1970–1972)
  • 7.8 Red Parker era (1973–1976)
  • 7.9 Charlie Pell era (1977–1978)
  • 7.10 Danny Ford era (1978–1989)
  • 7.11 Ken Hatfield era (1990–1993)
  • 7.12 Tommy West era (1993–1998)
  • 7.13 Tommy Bowden era (1999–2008)
  • 7.14 Dabo Swinney era (2008–present)
    • 7.14.1 2016 season
    • 7.14.2 2018 season
• 8 Coaches
  • 8.1 Current coaching staff
  • 8.2 Career coaching records
• 9 Clemson traditions
• 10 Rivalries
  • 10.1 South Carolina Gamecocks
  • 10.2 Georgia Tech
  • 10.3 NC State
  • 10.4 Boston College
  • 10.5 Florida State Seminoles
  • 10.6 Georgia Bulldogs
  • 10.7 Alabama
  • 10.8 Auburn
• 11 Individual award winners
  • 11.1 College Football Hall of Fame inductees
  • 11.2 Retired Numbers
  • 11.3 Logos/Uniforms
  • 11.4 Image gallery
• 12 References
• 13 External Links

Overview[]

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 21 ACC titles, the most of any member. Its 27 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 2022, against North Carolina. 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.

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 21 ACC titles (19 outright, 2 tied) are the most ACC football championships.[citation needed][when?] 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. In 2023 the ACC announced they would diband division, and placed the top 2 teams in the conference in the ACC Championship game. In 2024 #17 Clemson seeded number 2 in the ACC knocked of 1 seeded #8 SMU in the Conference Championship game.

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
2024	12	No. 3 Texas	First Round - College Football playoff	L 38-24	notes

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season	Coach	Record
2025	Dabo Swinney
2024	Dabo Swinney	10-4
2023	Dabo Swinney	9-4
2022	Dabo Swinney	11-3
2021	Dabo Swinney	10-3
2020	Dabo Swinney	10-2

2010s[]

Season	Coach	Record
2019	Dabo Swinney	14-1
2018	Dabo Swinney	15-0
2017	Dabo Swinney	12-1
2016	Dabo Swinney	13-1
2015	Dabo Swinney	14-1
2014	Dabo Swinney	10-3
2013	Dabo Swinney	11-2
2012	Dabo Swinney	11-2
2011	Dabo Swinney	10-4
2010	Dabo Swinney	6-7

2000s[]

Season	Coach	Record
2009	Dabo Swinney	9-5
2008	Tommy Bowden; Dabo Swinney	7-6
2007	Tommy Bowden	9-4
2006	Tommy Bowden	8-5
2005	Tommy Bowden	8-4
2004	Tommy Bowden	6-5
2003	Tommy Bowden	9-4
2002	Tommy Bowden	7-6
2001	Tommy Bowden	7-5
2000	Tommy Bowden	9-3

1990s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1999	Tommy Bowden	6-6
1998	Tommy West	3-8
1997	Tommy West
1996	Tommy West
1995	Tommy West
1994	Tommy West
1993	Ken Hatfield; Tommy West
1992	Ken Hatfield
1991	Ken Hatfield
1990	Ken Hatfield	10-2

1980s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980

Overview[]

Formed in 1896, the program has over 700 wins and has achieved a consensus Division I Football National Championship, including #1 rankings in two National Football Championship Title games and was a College Football Playoff National Championship Finalist in 2016. Clemson has had 6 undefeated seasons including 3 perfect seasons, 21 conference championships, 4 divisional titles since 2005, and has produced over 100 All-Americans, 17 Academic All-Americans, and over 200 NFL players.[1][2] Clemson has had six members inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, including former players Banks McFadden, Terry Kinard, Jeff Davis, and former coaches John Heisman, Jess Neely, and Frank Howard.

With 21 total conference titles, Clemson is one of the founding members of the ACC, and holds 15 ACC titles, the most of any charter member, and holds the most combined conference football titles of any Atlantic Coast Conference school. The Tigers' most recent ACC championship came in 2015 with a 13-0 regular season and a 45-37 win over #10 UNC.

Among its six undefeated regular seasons, Clemson was crowned poll-era National Champions and finished with its third perfect season with a win over Nebraska in the 48th Orange Bowl, and was the National Championship Finalist Runner-up with a 14-1 record in 2015. The Tigers have 39 bowl appearances, 17 of which are among the New Years Six Bowls, including 2 during the BCS era. Clemson has finished in the Final Top 25 rankings 31 times in the modern era, and finished in either the AP or Coaches Polls a combined 51 times since 1939.

The Tigers play their home games in Memorial Stadium on the university's Clemson, South Carolina campus. The stadium is also known as "Death Valley" after a Presbyterian College head coach gave it the moniker in 1948 due to the many defeats his teams suffered there. Currently, it is the 16th largest stadium in college football.

Clemson's streak of five consecutive 10 win seasons ranks 2nd in active streaks behind the Alabama Crimson Tide.[3] Clemson currently has eleven straight seasons with a bowl game appearance.

History []

Early history (1896–1899)[]

Walter Merritt Riggs can be characterized as the "Father of Clemson Football," as he brought the game with him from Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now Auburn University). The fact that Auburn and Clemson share the same mascot is no accident. Riggs allowed his players to pick the team mascot and, although he may have influenced their decision, the players chose Tigers because Princeton University had just won the national championship. Riggs helped organize and coach the infant Tiger team in 1896. With little money to spend on uniforms, Riggs brought some of Auburn's old practice uniforms with him, which happened to have orange and navy jerseys.[4] Because the jerseys had gone through a few washboard scrubbings, they were quite faded, the navy worse than the orange. So Riggs made the school’s predominant color orange and the faded condition of the navy became the purplish color, officially known today as Regalia.[4] The team played as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), the first southern athletics conference.

When the Tigers traveled to Greenville on Halloween to play Furman in their very first match, only Coach Riggs and backfield player Frank Thompkins had ever seen a football game played. Today in Clemson, the soccer field is named Historic Riggs field after Walter Riggs. Riggs took the team to a 2–1 record in the inaugural year. He then stepped aside at the urging of the cadets, who felt that he should concentrate on his scholastic duties rather than coach the team for free.

William M. Williams coached the Tigers in 1897, guiding them to a 2–2 record. The team  beat South Carolina for the first time and was state champion.[5] In 1898, John Penton led the Tigers to a 3–1 record.

In 1899, when the Clemson Athletic Association could not afford a coaching salary, Riggs again took over the reins, one of only two Clemson football coaches to return to the position after stepping down. The 1899 squad went 4–2. Riggs' overall record of 6–3 gives him a .667 winning percentage.

After decade as a Mechanical Engineering professor, he was named acting president of Clemson Agricultural College in 1910, being confirmed by the Board of Trustees as permanent president on March 7, 1911. He served until his untimely death on January 22, 1924 while on a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials of other land grant institutions.

John Heisman era (1900–1903)[]

  Riggs hired John Heisman to coach Clemson. Heisman stayed only four years at Clemson, where he compiled a record of 19–3–2, an .833 percentage, the best in Clemson football history.[6] In four seasons, he had three SIAA titles.

In his first season of 1900, he coached the Tigers to their first undefeated season (6–0),[3] and first conference championship, outscoring their opponents 222–10 – the 64–0 win over Davidson on opening day was then the largest score ever made in the South.[7] The season had various other "firsts", including the school's first defeat of the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The only close game was with the South Atlantic school VPI. 

The 1902 team again won the SIAA.  This was the first season with both Hope Sadler and Carl Sitton at ends. One writer recalls, "Sitton and Hope Sadler were the finest ends that Clemson ever had perhaps."[8]

The only loss on the year was the first to rival South Carolina since 1896. "The Carolina fans that week were carrying around a poster with the image of a tiger with a gamecock standing on top of it, holding the tiger’s tail as if he was steering the tiger by the tail," Jay McCormick said.  "Naturally, the Clemson guys didn’t take too kindly to that, and on Wednesday and again on Thursday, there were sporadic fistfights involving brass knuckles and other objects and so forth, some of which resulted, according to the newspapers, in blood being spilled and persons having to seek medical assistance.  After the game on Thursday, the Clemson guys frankly told the Carolina students that if you bring this poster, which is insulting to us, to the big parade on Friday, you’re going to be in trouble. And naturally, of course, the Carolina students brought the poster to the parade. If you give someone an ultimatum and they’re your rival, they’re going to do exactly what you told them not to do."[9]

As expected, another brawl broke out before both sides agreed to mutually burn the poster in an effort to defuse tensions. The immediate aftermath resulted in the stoppage of the rivalry until 1909.[10][11]

The 1903 team may have been Heisman's best at Clemson. Following a 73–0 defeat of Georgia Tech in 1903, the Yellow Jackets hired Heisman as their first full-time football coach.  Fullback Jock Hanvey rushed for 104 yards in the first half.[12] The account in the Atlanta Constitution read "Hanvey, the Clemson full back, outclassed them all. Time and time again he was sent through the line for gains of 10, 15 and 20 yards, and his tackles were spectacular."[13]

After the 1903 season, Clemson tied 11–11 in a game billed as the "SIAA Championship Game." Cumberland rushed out to an early 11 to 0 lead, but Clemson came back to tie. On the second half kickoff, Clemson quarterback John Maxwell raced 100 yards for a touchdown. Clemson missed the try. Later, Cumberland fumbled a punt and Clemson recovered.  Cumberland expected a trick play when Fritz Furtick simply ran up the middle and scored.[14]

Post-Heisman era (1904–1926)[]

  After Heisman left Clemson to become the head coach at Georgia Tech, Shack Shealy, an end for the Tigers in the 1890s, coached the 1904 team to a  3–3–1 record - the only Clemson graduate ever to serve as head coach of his alma mater.

Eddie Cochems, a future innovator of the former pass, had just lost out to Phil King for the Wisconsin job, when he accepted to coach Clemson's 1905 team, which lost to Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, but shut out Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn, featured stars left over from Heisman like Furtick and Puss Derrick.

Bob Williams, who beat Heisman in 1902, came to Clemson in 1906, and also coached the 1909 and 1913–1915 teams. The Tigers went undefeated with a 4–0–3 record in 1906, with wins over Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, and the John Heisman-coached Georgia Tech team. Clemson's first forward pass took place on during the game with Tech in Atlanta. Left End Powell Lykes, dropped back to kick, but lobbed a 30-yard pass to George Warren instead. Clemson won, 10–0. The 1909 USC-Clemson was the first game broadcast in the state, by the United Wireless Telegraph Company.[15] William Schilletter starred in 1913 and 1914, and was the son of Augustus "Shorty" Schilletter, a German immigrant in charge of the Clemson College dining hall.[16]

Frank Shaughnessy led the 1907 team to a. 4–4 record. Captain Mac McLaurin and R. T. Gaston starred at either tackle position. Vanderbilt legend Stein Stone posted just a 1–6 record in 1908. Captain Sticker Coles was All-Southern. Frank Dobson posted 11–12–1 overall record from 1910–1912. Wayne Hart had a 3–6 record in 1916.

Washington & Lee's Edward Donahue coached the Tigers to 21–12–3 record over three seasons, from 1917–1920. Stumpy Banks scored five touchdowns against Furman in 1917 for a school record.[17][18] Yen Lightsey starred in 1919 and 1920. Doc Stewart coached the Tigers through the transition from the SIAA to the Southern Conference, with a 6–10–2 record from 1921–1922. Bud Saunders led the Tigers to a 10–22–1 record from 1923–1926.

Josh Cody era (1927–1930)[]

Josh Cody coached the Tigers from 1927 to 1930, posting a 29–11–1 record. The Tigers were undefeated at home (13–0–1) and against South Carolina (3–0) during Cody's tenure.  In 1927 Cody gave Red Sanders his first coaching job as backfield coach.[19][20]  O. K. Pressley made third-team All-American in 1928. “A better center than Captain O.K. Pressley of Clemson is hard to find,” remarked former South Carolina head coach Billy Laval.[21]

In May 1929, when rumors were swirling that he might leave to coach a bigger-name program, the students, faculty, and staff took up a collection to buy him a brand new black Buick automobile. Raymond Johnson wrote upon Cody's death: "Josh Cody wanted to be Vanderbilt's coach so bad that he gave up the head man's job at Clemson College after four successful seasons."[19]

Jess Neely era (1931–1939)[]

In 1931, Jess Neely (another McGugin product, and a former head coach at Rhodes and assistant at Alabama) became Clemson's head football coach. During his tenure, Neely led the Tigers to a 43-35-7 record. His final season at Clemson was the turning point in the Tigers' program. His team went 9–1 during that season, finishing second to Duke in the Southern Conference. The Tigers also received their first bowl invitation and bowl victory that year, defeating nationally ranked Boston College 6–3 in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic. The 1939 Tigers finished with a #12 ranking in the final AP poll. Clemson also had their first Associated Press All-American that year in Banks McFadden. Jess Neely, along with then athletic director Rupert Fike, founded the IPTAY Scholarship Fund, which supports the Clemson Athletic Department.

Frank Howard era (1940–1969)[]

After Jess Neely left to become the head coach at Rice, Frank Howard (an assistant coach under Neely) was named head coach.  Known for his colorful persona, and penchant for imaginative language with both probable, and improbable stories, in his 30 years at Clemson, Howard compiled a 165–118–12 record, a 3–3 bowl record, won two Southern Conference championships, and six ACC championships. Seven of Howard's teams finished the year ranked in at least one final poll.  During his stay at Clemson, Howard also oversaw the athletic department, ticket sales, and was an assistant coach for the baseball team.  He also incorporated the Single Wing, T-formation, and I-formation offenses at different points during his coaching career at Clemson. Clemson had two undefeated season under Howard, one in 1948 (11–0), and one in 1950 (9–0–1).

As a line tutor and coach, Howard was part of Clemson's successful 1939 season under Neely, achieving an 8-1 record and a bid to the 1940 Cotton Bowl in Dallas to play undefeated Boston College. When Neely left Clemson in 1940, the Clemson Athletic Council met to name a successor and council member Prof. Sam Rhodes suggested Howard's name. Howard, standing in the back of the room, said "I second the nomination." He got the job, becoming Clemson's seventeenth head football coach and never left. He signed a one-year contract that he promptly lost, and he never had another in thirty years.

Although Clemson was still a small military college until 1957, under Frank Howard's command, the Tigers remained nationally-recognized contenders throughout the 1950's. In the sterling 1948 season, the team won a Southern Conference championship (Howard's first of eight). The Tiger's also won their second bowl game, a 1948 Gator Bowl win over Missouri, and finished eleventh in the national rankings.  For the rest of his life, Howard credited the 1948 team with saving his job.

Howard nearly repeated the 1948 success in 1950 when the Tigers were ranked tenth by the Associated Press with a 9-0-1 season and a 15-14 win over Miami (Florida) in Clemson's first Orange Bowl win.  Under Howard's guidance, the Tigers were thus, champions on their first three bowl ventures.

In January 1952, after a 7-2 regular season campaign, the Tiger's were invited back to the Gator Bowl, and by being conference champions once again in 1956, Clemson played in the 1957 Orange Bowl.  In their second Gator Bowl trip, Miami downed Clemson 14–0; Colorado led Clemson 20–0, then trailed 21–20, in a comeback game, before finally defeating the Tigers 27–21 in Clemson's second Orange Bowl appearance.  Two season's later, after an 8-3 season, the Tigers played in the 1959 Sugar Bowl and with their tough defense, held the #1-ranked LSU Tigers to a standstill before losing 7–0, leading to an LSU National Championship.[22]

The invitation to play in the first Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston in December 1959 was the eighth bowl that Howard had been a part of either as a player, assistant coach or head coach. It was the seventh bowl trip for a Clemson team and the sixth in 12 years. Howard said that Clemson's 23–7 triumph over seventh ranked TCU in the Bluebonnet Bowl was the best performance he had ever witnessed by a Clemson team. Clemson was the first school to play in two bowls in the same calendar year.

A Single Wing expert for 22 seasons (including nine as a line coach), Howard changed to the T-formation and its many variations in 1953. Still another major change in the offense was installed in 1965 with the "I" and pro-type set. In his 13 seasons as head coach using the single wing, Clemson won 69, lost 47 and tied 7. In 12 years of "T" teams, the Tigers won 71, lost 47 and tied 4. While using the "I" in his last five years of coaching, Clemson recorded a 25–24–1 record.

Howard was named Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year in 1948. In 1959 he was named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach-of-the-Year and was accorded the honor again in 1966.  As the style of football evolved in the 1960s, Howard's ground game became outdated, and Clemson's gridiron fortunes declined. The Tigers last winning season under Howard came in 1967.  On December 10, 1969, he stepped down as the fifth winningest coach in the nation, with 165 victories, 96 of them in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Howard also managed the athletic department during his tenure, and continued on as athletic director until February 4, 1971, when he was named assistant to the vice president of the university.  On June 30, 1974, he retired from the university payroll, but continued to come into his office daily until failing health slowed him down, serving as Clemson's ambassador until his death in 1996.[23]

The tradition of rubbing "Howard's Rock" prior to running down the hill before home games began during Coach Howard's tenure.[24] The playing field at Clemson Memorial Stadium was named "Frank Howard Field" in 1974 following his retirement to honor his many years of service for the university. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the Clemson Hall of Fame, the Clemson Ring of Honor, the Helms Athletic Hall of Fame, the State of Alabama Hall of Fame, National Football Foundation Hall of Fame, the Orange Bowl Hall of Honor, and the Gator Bowl Hall of Fame.

Hootie Ingram era (1970–1972)[]

Clemson struggled during the years following Frank Howard's retirement. His successor, Hootie Ingram, only compiled a 12–21 record. During his tenure, the tradition of running down the hill was stopped from 1970 to the end of the 1972 season, when the team decided it wanted to come down the hill for the final home game against South Carolina. The traditional "tiger paw" logo, which was designed by John Antonio of Henderson Advertising, was introduced in 1970 by Ingram and Clemson President R.C. Edwards.[25]

Red Parker era (1973–1976)[]

After a successful run as head coach of The Citadel from 1966–72, Jimmy "Red" Parker coached the Tigers from 1973 to 1976, compiling a 17-25-2 record.[26] Clemson had a 7-4 season under Parker in 1974, with Parker being named ACC Coach of the Year.  The Tigers went 2-9 in 1975, and 3-6-2 in 1976.  Red Parker was cut loose by the Board of Trustees at the end of the Bicentennial season. Athletic Director Bill McClellan got the task of informing Parker he was gone when Parker refused to fire his assistants.  Though Parker is largely credited with building and recruiting a foundation that would ultimately set the stage for much of Clemson's success in the following seasons.[27]

Charlie Pell era (1977–1978)[]

Utilizing some of the talent enrolled during the Parker seasons, Charlie Pell coached the Tigers for two seasons, winning the ACC Coach of the Year award twice and leading the Tigers to the 1978 ACC Championship en route to an 18-4-1 record.

Dual-threat quarterback Steve Fuller and the running back tandem of Lester Brown and Marvin Sims spearheaded a dynamic rushing attack that helped the Tigers win the ACC. The only loss came in Week 2 against SEC power Georgia, and, after a Gator Bowl win over No. 20 Ohio State, Clemson posted its second-best final AP poll finish in school history with a No. 6 ranking.

In both seasons, Clemson earned berths to the Gator Bowl, although Pell left before the latter game.  Pell became involved in NCAA rules and recruiting violations that came to light under the tenure of his successor, Danny Ford.  Charlie Pell would leave after 1978 to become head coach at Florida, where his coaching career would end in 1984 following more NCAA rules violations.

Danny Ford era (1978–1989)[]

Danny Ford was promoted from offensive line coach to head coach in 1978, after Charlie Pell left for the University of Florida.  He won his first game, the 1978 Gator Bowl, with a 17–15 victory over Ohio State and legendary coach Woody Hayes, who punched LB Charlie Bauman in the throat after making the game-clinching interception. In his third season, Ford guided Clemson to the summit of college football by winning the National Championship, and recording the program's fifth undefeated season. The Tigers, who were unranked in the preseason, downed three top-10 teams (Georgia, North Carolina and Nebraska) during the course of the 12-0 season that concluded with a 22-15 victory over Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl. Ford, named National Coach-of-the-Year in 1981, holds the record as the youngest coach (33 years old) to win a national championship on the gridiron.[28]

The 1981 college football season was one of the craziest and most unpredictable in the history of the sport. It seemed nobody wanted to win the national championship. At several points in the season, six different teams were ranked #1 by the Associated Press.  Most of them were beaten just as quickly as they earned the top spot.[29] The Tigers slow rise to #1 quickly gained momentum with an early season 13-3 upset victory over defending national champion Georgia. The Clemson defense contained Georgia's great tailback Herschel Walker and kept him out of the end zone. Week after week, Clemson was getting better. Offensively the team was led by junior quarterback Homer Jordan, who was a duel threat as a runner and passer. It was a run-oriented offense featuring a fine tandem of tailbacks in Cliff Austin and Chuck McSwain. When they needed a big play, Jordan often threw deep to receiver Perry Tuttle, who later became a first round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills. But the true strength of the Clemson team was its defense. The Tigers had three All Americans including safety Terry Kinard, linebacker Jeff Davis and defensive end Jeff Bryant. All three went on to solid pro careers. But the most famous member of the Clemson defense was a large freshman defensive tackle named William Perry. Perry would later gain fame for his nickname "The Refrigerator" and became a football folk hero with the Chicago Bears as a lovable overweight defensive lineman who sometimes scored touchdowns while lining up at fullback.[30]

After finishing the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record, Clemson was invited to the Orange Bowl to play Big 8 champion Nebraska. To mark its first trip to the Orange Bowl in over 30 years, Clemson wore all orange uniforms for the first time.  The Tigers took a quick 3-0 lead in the first quarter behind a Donald Igwebuike 41-yard field goal.   But Nebraska came back with some trickery when I-back Mike Rozier threw a 25-yard option pass to Anthony Steels for a touchdown to take the lead 7-3.  Leading 13-7 in the third quarter, Clemson took control for good when Homer Jordan threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Perry Tuttle, giving the Tigers a commanding 19-7 lead.  Clemson held on to win 22-15 bringing home a consensus national championship.   At 34-years-old, Danny Ford became the youngest coach to lead his team to a national title.[31]

Ranked #10 before the 1982 season began, with six players entering the NFL Draft, including First Round picks DE Jeff Bryant and WR Perry Tuttle, along with Hollis Hall, Center Tony Berryhill, Brian Clark, and linebacker and former team captain Jeff Davis, there were obvious questions as to how well the team would perform in 1982 in the aftermath of a championship season.[32]  The Tigers opened the season on the road playing border rival and SEC champion Georgia, losing this time in another close game by 6 points in front of a crowd of over 82,000.  The following weekend, Clemson hosted Boston College, in another fourth quarter game that resulted in a 17-17 tie.  Like the previous season, the Tigers gradually improved as the season progressed.  In November, Clemson's defense was resilient enough to hold of #18 Maryland and #18 North Carolina.  Clemson went on to run the table the rest of the season with nine straight wins, and finish with the regular season with a record of 9-1-1.[33]

After the #8 Tigers received a bid to the Cotton Bowl with only one loss on the season, the senior class voted to decline the invitation.  On November 21, 1982, the football program was placed on probation for a 2-year period to include the 1983 and 1984 seasons for recruiting violations that began during the Charlie Pell era.  Pell and some of his coaching staff were also sanctioned again in 1984 for similar recruiting practices at the University of Florida. Since the violations involved players who never enrolled, and were recruits also being courted by other programs, no games were subject to forfeit. As a result, the football program was barred from participating in bowl games and barred from appearing on live television. Also, the number of scholarships that the university could allocate to football players was restricted to 20 (from the normal allotment of 30). The Atlantic Coast Conference imposed a third year of conference penalty.[34][35]

The 1983 team, like the previous season, had a loss and a tie early in the season, this time with a 16-16 tie with rival #11 Georgia and a loss at Boston College.  The team finished the rest of the season without a loss and going unbeaten in conference play, while finishing with another 9-1-1 season and #10, and #11 rankings.  The reduction of scholarships could be felt, in the next two seasons as Clemson still remained motivated, posting a winning 7-4 season in 1984, and an even 6-6 campaign in 1985.  Between 1987 and 1990, Clemson posted four consecutive 10 win seasons and won three straight ACC titles, including a 35-10 victory over Penn State and a 13-6 defeat of the Oklahoma Sooners in the Florida Citrus Bowl.  At that time, no team in Clemson history started higher in the AP poll than the 1988 team beginning the year as the No. 4-ranked team in the nation and a preseason favorite to win the national title.  After an early upset by #10 FSU, the Tigers finished with a #9 final ranking following their bowl win over Oklahoma.  The 1988 team played one of the school’s toughest schedules, beating three ranked opponents and losing to two others.  Rodney Williams paced the passing attack while Terry Allen rushed for 1,192 yards and 10 touchdowns for the ACC champions.  In an age of offense, the '88 team was fourth in the nation in scoring defense.  In 1989, Clemson registered a 10-2 season and top-12 national ranking for the fourth straight season, and ended his career at Clemson with a 27–7 win over West Virginia (and All-America quarterback Major Harris) in the 1989 Gator Bowl.[36]  In January 1990, Clemson once again found their football program accused of recruiting violations, but not significant enough to receive any post-season or television bans.[37]  This chain of events, in addition to political conflicts between the academic and athletic departments, contributed, in part, to the forced resignation of popular head coach Danny Ford, who was later cleared in the final NCAA report.[38][39][40]

While at Clemson, Ford also coached wins over a number of coaches later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, including Joe Paterno, Tom Osborne, Barry Switzer, Bobby Bowden, Vince Dooley, and Woody Hayes.  After a few years away from coaching, Ford was hired by Arkansas in 1992, where he would spend five seasons guiding the Razorbacks.

Coach Ford compiled a 96–29–4 (.760) record at Clemson, 5 ACC Championships, and a 6–2 bowl record.  He is second on the school's wins list, behind only Frank Howard.  Ford was the third winningest coach in the country on a percentage basis after the 1989 season.  Ford also coached 21 All-Americans and 41 players who went on to play in the NFL, during his 11 seasons at Clemson.

Ken Hatfield era (1990–1993)[]

Ken Hatfield, former coach at Air Force and Arkansas, took over as head coach at Clemson in late 1989. He had a 32–13–1 record with the Tigers and led them to three bowl games.

Hatfield worked to clean up the program's image in the wake of the Ford-era sanctions.[41]  However, in the wake of Ford's success, Hatfield and many in the Clemson fanbase did not see eye-to-eye.  A common saying among Tiger fans during this time was "Howard built it. Ford filled it. Hatfield killed it." This sentiment followed Clemson's first losing season (1992) since 1976.

Largely due to this discontent, school officials refused to grant him a one-year extension on his contract after the 1993 season, even though the Tigers had rebounded from 5–6 in 1992 to an 8–3 record that year and were invited to the Peach Bowl. Expressing "much disappointment" in what he saw as a lack of support by Clemson fans and several university officials, Hatfield resigned at the end of the regular season.[42]  He was later hired at Rice.

The purple home jerseys used by Clemson in special games made their debut during the 1991 ACC championship season, with the Tigers wearing them in the regular season against NC State and in the Citrus Bowl vs. California.

Tommy West era (1993–1998)[]

Tommy West replaced Ken Hatfield at the end of the 1993 season, coaching the Tigers to a 14-13 victory in the 1993 Peach Bowl against Kentucky. West had a 31–28 record during his five seasons at Clemson and led the Tigers to three bowl games but no ACC championships. West was fired after a dismal 1998 campaign which saw Clemson go 3-8 and finish last in the ACC.  West went on to be the head coach at Memphis.

Tommy Bowden era (1999–2008)[]

After Tommy West's dismissal following the 1998 season, Clemson hired Tommy Bowden, son of Bobby Bowden and coach at Tulane. Bowden led the Tigers to a 6–6 record and a Peach Bowl bid in 1999, with the team that navigated its way through a schedule that included MAC champions and undefeated Marshall, Big East champion and BCS runner-up Virginia Tech (who went undefeated during the regular season), and eventual National Champion Florida State (who finished the year undefeated). The 1999 meeting between the Tigers and Seminoles was dubbed the "Bowden Bowl" and was the first time that a father and son coached against each other in Division I football. FSU won the game 17–[43] 14 in front of the largest crowd in the history of Death Valley.

During Bowden's tenure, the Tigers were bowl eligible every season but didn't win any ACC championships (the 2004 team turned down a bowl invitation as punishment for a massive brawl during a game against the University of South Carolina). Despite this, Bowden has been criticized for his teams underachieving. The 2000 Tigers started 8–0 and rose as high as #5 in the polls before losing three of their last four. The same thing happened during the 2006 season following a 7–1 start and with the team on the verge of winning the ACC Atlantic Division. The Tigers have also shown great resolve at points during Bowden's tenure. The 2003 team won four games at the end of the season to finish 9–4, which included victories over #3 Florida State and #7 Tennessee in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. The 2004 season saw the Tigers start 1–4 only to win five of their last six games (which included an overtime upset of #10 Miami (FL)), while the 2005 team overcame a 2–3 start to finish the season 9–4.

Bowden agreed to resign for $3.5 million on October 13, 2008, after leading the team to a disappointing 3–3 record (1–2 ACC) at the midpoint of a season in which the Tigers were an almost unanimous preseason pick to win their first ACC title under Bowden and were ranked #9 in the preseason polls. Assistant coach Dabo Swinney was named interim head coach.[44]

Dabo Swinney era (2008–present)[]

 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.

2016 season[]

See also: 2016 Clemson Tigers football team

On April 12, 2016, Swinney signed a six-year contract extension with the Tigers. Swinney once again recorded a banner season as Clemson's coach, leading the Tigers to a 12–1 regular season record and another ACC Championship, the third in Swinney's career. Clemson posted big wins during the 2016 season over #3 Louisville at home and #12 Florida State on the road. Their only loss of the year was to the Pitt Panthers, losing on a last second field goal and snapping their 15-game home winning streak. Swinney punctuated the regular season with a 56–7 home victory over arch-rival South Carolina, the largest margin of victory over the Gamecocks in Swinney's career and the largest in over 100 years in the history of the storied rivalry. Following Clemson's ACC Championship win over #19 Virginia Tech, the Tigers secured the #2 seed in the College Football Playoff. On December 31, in the College Football Playoff Semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl, Swinney and the Tigers defeated #3 Ohio State 31–0 in Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer's first career shut-out to set up a rematch of the 2015 National Championship against #1 Alabama. On January 9, 2017, Swinney led the Tigers to a 35–31 comeback win over Alabama to capture the national championship. The victory gave Clemson their first national championship since the 1981 season. For the second time, Swinney earned the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award.

2018 season[]

See also: 2018 Clemson Tigers football team

Clemson started off the 2018 season ranked second in the nation in the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. The 2018 Tigers opened the season with a 48–7 victory over Furman. Clemson survived a close 28–26 result in the following game against Texas A&M. Following a 38–7 victory over Georgia Southern, Clemson opened ACC play with a 49–21 victory over Georgia Tech. Following a 27–23 victory over Syracuse, Clemson defeated Wake Forest 63–3. In the following game against #16 NC State, Clemson won 41–17. Clemson dominated in their next two games, a 59–10 victory over Florida State and a 77–16 victory over Louisville. Clemson closed out the regular season with victories over #17 Boston College, Duke, and South Carolina. Clemson qualified for the ACC Championship and defeated Pitt 42–10 to win their fourth consecutive conference championship.

Clemson qualified for the College Football Playoff as the #2-seed. In the College Football Playoff Semifinals, the Tigers faced off against undefeated #3 Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl and won 30–3. Clemson finished the season undefeated and won the 2019 College Football Playoff national championship, defeating Alabama 44–16 to win the school their third national championship and Swinney's second. Clemson was the first team to go 15–0 in modern history and the first in college football history since the 1897 Penn Quakers football team, which led some pundits to say that the 2018 Tigers are the greatest college football team of all time. Swinney was named ACC Coach of the Year and the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year for the 2018 season.

Coaches[]

Current coaching staff[]

Clemson Tigers football current coaching staff[45]

Name	Position	Alma Mater
Dabo Swinney	Head Coach	University of Alabama
Jeff Scott	Co-Offensive Coordinator	Clemson
Brent Venables	Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach	Kansas State University
Michael Reed	Defensive Backs Coach	Boston College
Dan Brooks	Defensive Line Coach	Western Carolina University
Tony Elliott	Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach	Clemson
Marion Hobby	Defensive Ends Coach	University of Tennessee
Danny Pearman	Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends/Offensive Tackles Coach	Clemson
Robbie Caldwell	Offensive Line Coach	Furman University
Brandon Streeter	Quarterbacks Coach/Recruiting Coordinator	Clemson
Mickey Conn	Defensive Analyst	University of Alabama
Kyle Richardson	Offensive Analyst

Career coaching records[]

• Main article: List of Clemson Tigers head football coaches

Tenure	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	.526
1999 – 2008	Tommy Bowden	10	72–45	.615
2008 – current	Dabo Swinney	8	77–27	.740
Totals	25 coaches	118 seasons	705-455-45	.604

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).[46] It was presented to Howard by Jones, saying "Here's a rock from Death Valley, California, to Death Valley, South Carolina."[47] 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."[47] 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.[48] On September 24, 1966, the first time Clemson players ran by the rock, they beat conference rival Virginia, 40-35.[49] Howard, seizing on the motivational potential of "The Rock", told his players, "Give me 110% or keep your filthy hands off of my rock."[48] The team started rubbing the Rock for the first game of 1967, which was a 23-6 waxing of ACC foe Wake Forest.[50]

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.[51]  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.[52]

• Running Down the Hill Probably the most highly publicized tradition of the Clemson Tigers team is the entrance, which Brent Musburger referred to as "The Most Exciting 25 seconds in College Football."[47] 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 2 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.[53]
• 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.[54]
• 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.[55]

Rivalries[]

South Carolina Gamecocks[]

• Main article: Clemson–South Carolina rivalry

The Clemson-South Carolina rivalry is the largest annual sporting event in terms of ticket sales in the state of South Carolina. Clemson holds a 73–44–4 lead in the series which dates back to 1896. Historically, the final score in the game, (on average), has been decided by less than a touchdown.[56][57] From 1896 to 1959, the Clemson-South Carolina game was played on the fairgrounds in Columbia, SC, and was referred to as "Big Thursday". In 1960 an alternating-site format was implemented utilizing 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).

Georgia Tech[]

• Main article: Clemson–Georgia Tech rivalry

Clemson's rivalry with Georgia Tech dates to 1898 with the first game being played in Atlanta. The game was played in Atlanta for 44 of the first 47 match-ups, until Georgia Tech joined the ACC. When Georgia Tech joined the ACC in 1978, the series went 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. 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 50-36-2. However, Clemson leads the series 24-15 since Georgia Tech joined the ACC in 1983.

NC State[]

• Main article: Textile Bowl

The 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, and Clemson currently holds a 60-30-1 series advantage.

Boston College[]

• Main article: O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy

The O'Rourke-McFadden Trophy was created in 2008 by the Boston College Gridiron Club in order 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 13 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 in 5 of the last 6 meetings. As of 2014 the Tigers lead the series 21-9-2.

Florida State Seminoles[]

• Main article: Clemson–Florida State 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 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 6-6, including a 26-10 win in Clemson over then-#3 FSU, the highest ranking opponent to ever be defeated by the Tigers. 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. As of 2015, Florida State leads the overall series 21-16.

Georgia Bulldogs[]

• Main article: Clemson-Georgia rivalry

The Bulldogs and the Tigers have played each other 63 times beginning in 1897, with the 64th meeting having been scheduled to be 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, the teams believed that 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 eleventh-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.

Georgia currently maintains a 44–18-4 lead in the series, with 34 games having been played at Georgia, 21 games having been played at Clemson, and 8 games having been played at a neutral site (either Augusta, Georgia or Anderson, South Carolina). Georgia had won 5 games in a row, dating back to 1991, until Clemson won a top-10 match-up to open the 2013 season in Death Valley. On August 31, 2013, No. 8 Clemson hosted No. 5 Georgia as the season opener for both teams featuring senior starting quarterbacks, star-studded offenses and questions to be answered on both teams' defenses. This top-10 match-up was chosen as the ESPN game of the week, and Clemson hosted ESPN's College Gameday for just the second time. Clemson won the game by the score of 38 to 35.

Their last match-up was in 2014 in Athens where the Bulldogs defeated Clemson, 45–21.

Alabama[]

Main article: Alabama–Clemson rivalry

The 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[]

These old rivals first played in 1899, but until 2010, had not faced each other in the regular season since 1971. Auburn leads the overall series 34-15-2 and had won 14 games in a row, dating back to 1952, before Clemson snapped the streak in 2011, by beating #22 ranked Auburn 38-24 in Death Valley, in front of a crowd of exactly 82,000. Along with snapping one streak, Clemson also snapped Auburn's seventeen-game winning streak coming off of the 2009-2011 seasons.  The Georgia Dome hosted the Auburn-Clemson rivalry 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. The series is scheduled to be revived following a three-year hiatus in 2016 at Auburn and 2017 at Clemson.

Individual award winners[]

College Football Hall of Fame inductees[]

In 1951, the College Football Hall of Fame opened in South Bend, Indiana. Clemson has had 3 players and 3 former coaches inducted into the Hall of Fame.[58]

Name	Years at Clemson	Position	Year Inducted
Jeff Davis	1978–1981	Linebacker	2007
John Heisman	1900–1903	Head Coach	1954
Frank Howard	1940–1969	Head Coach	1989
Terry Kinard	1978–1982	Safety	2001
Banks McFadden	1937–1939	Halfback	1959
Jess Neely	1931–1939	Head Coach	1971

Retired Numbers[]

Number	Name	Years at Clemson	Position	Year Retired
4	Steve Fuller +	1975–1978	Quarterback	1979
66	Banks McFadden	1937–1939	Halfback	1987
28	CJ Spiller +	2006–2009	Running Back	2010

+ Steve Fuller's number 4 was retired in 1979.  However, it was brought out of retirement in 2014 to be worn by Clemson's 5 star quarterback recruit, Deshaun Watson.

+ CJ Spiller 's number 28 was retired in 2009.  However, it was brought out of retirement in 2016 to be worn by Clemson's 5 star running back recruit Tavien Feaster[59]

Logos/Uniforms[]

Image gallery[]

References[]

1. ↑ 2015 Clemson Football Media Guide (PDF). Clemson University (2015). Retrieved on 28 Oct 2015.
2. ↑ 2011 Clemson Media Guide & Supplement pp. 182–188, 190–194. Clemson Sports Information (2011). Retrieved on 22 July 2011.
3. ↑ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2313812-russell-athletic-bowl-2014-live-score-highlights-for-oklahoma-vs-clemson
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/846763-auburn-vs-clemson-two-teams-created-with-one-vision-100-years-ago
5. ↑ http://www.clemson.edu/cedp/press/pubs/ths-v1/06-ch06.pdf
6. ↑ John Heisman. John Heisman. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
7. ↑ John Heisman. CBSSports.com COLLEGE NETWORK. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
8. ↑ "Vetter Sitton Clemson Coach", January 21, 1915. 
9. ↑ Metrobeat.Net
10. ↑ http://www.academia.edu/1578479/The_South_Carolina_Clemson_Football_War_of_1902
11. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=lymewh6L9T4C&pg=PA35#v=onepage&q&f=false
12. ↑ Foster Senn (October 17, 1987). This Day in Tiger Football Clemson University Football Programs - Clemson vs Duke.
13. ↑ "Tech Slaughtered By Clemson Tigers", Atlanta Constitution, October 18, 1903, p. 7. Retrieved on March 10, 2015.  Template:Open access
14. ↑ 100 Things Clemson Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,Lou Sahadi. 100 Things Clemson Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. ISBN .
15. ↑ http://www.goupstate.com/article/20021124/NEWS01/211240001
16. ↑ From Tigers to Wildcats.
17. ↑ No. 19 Tigers Run Past Tar Heels, 52-7.
18. ↑ Tiger Timeline.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Template:Harvnb
20. ↑ Red Sanders. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
21. ↑ One-Man Defensive Stand. ClemsonTigers.com.
22. ↑ Frank Howard.
23. ↑ Litsky, Frank. "Frank Howard, 86, the Coach Of Top Clemson Football Teams", 1996-01-27. 
24. ↑ Gift from Death Valley became "Death Valley" tradition. Mark Schlabach. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
25. ↑ Brenner, Aaron. "1970 designer of Clemson’s Tiger Paw logo, John Antonio, dies of cancer", The Post and Courier, 2013-05-30. Retrieved on 2013-06-29. 
26. ↑ Red Parker returns to The Citadel. Ken Burger/ The Post and Courier. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
27. ↑ Former Citadel, Clemson coach Red Parker dies at 84 (2016-01-04).
28. ↑ Sumner, Jim. Looking Back... A Walk Through Clemson's 1981 National Championship Season. TheACC.com, 2006-10-10.
29. ↑ Miamisouthpaw (2009-08-24). South Florida Sports Paradise: Ghosts of the Orange Bowl: 1981 Clemson Tigers.
30. ↑ 1981 national championship “put Clemson on the map”.
31. ↑ Clemson football: Tigers were overlooked at No. 1 in 1981 too (2015-12-26).
32. ↑ NFL.com Draft 2016 - NFL Draft History: Full Draft Year.
33. ↑ 1982 Clemson Tigers.
34. ↑ Severe Sanctions Levied On Clemson
35. ↑ Clemson: 2 Years NCAA Probation, 20 Scholarships Cut
36. ↑ 2008 Clemson Football Media Guide. Clemson University (2008).
37. ↑ Ap. "Clemson Reveals It Is Under Inquiry by N.C.A.A.", 1990-01-10. 
38. ↑ Ap. "Clemson Drops Ford With $1 Million Deal", 1990-01-19. 
39. ↑ Gadsden Times - Google News Archive Search.
40. ↑ How Danny Ford went from Clemson legend to out of college football.
41. ↑ Hanley, Brian. Clemson gets "Real McCoy". Chicago Sun-Times, 1990-12-30.
42. ↑ Clemson coach quits. The New York Times, 1993-11-25.
43. ↑ HISTORY OF BOWDEN BOWL. MSN TV. Retrieved on 2011-09-17.
44. ↑ Mark Schlabach, Bowden ousted at Clemson; coach 'deserved' to be fired, QB says, ESPN.com, October 13, 2008, Accessed October 13, 2008.
45. ↑ 2011 Clemson Football Coaches. Clemson University Athletics. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
46. ↑ Clemson Alumni Association, "Clemson Alumni: Today 2008", Harris Connect, Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, 2007, no ISBN, page 1904.
47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 Howard, Frank, with Bradley, Bob, and Parker, Virgil, "Howard", Howard, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1990, ISBN 0-934904-22-7, page 132.
48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 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.
49. ↑ Clemson Athletic Department, "2001 Clemson Football", Keys Printing, Greenville, South Carolina, 2001, no ISBN , page 340.
50. ↑ TigerNet -- Football -- Traditions -- Running Down the Hill. thetigernet.com.
51. ↑ Herald-Journal - Google News Archive Search. google.com.
52. ↑ Clemson arrests, charges man in connection to Howard's Rock vandalism. ESPN.com.
53. ↑ [1]
54. ↑ [2]
55. ↑ Clemson Wins The South’s Best Tailgate. southernliving.com (October 15, 2012). Retrieved on 18 November 2012.
56. ↑ South Carolina vs Clemson 1869-2012. stassen.com.
57. ↑ South Carolina Game by Game against Opponents. cfbdatawarehouse.com.
58. ↑ Hall of Famers: Clemson. College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 6 September 2011.
59. ↑ http://rubbingtherock.com/2016/07/25/clemson-football-tavien-feaster-gets-c-j-spillers-number/

External Links[]

• Clemson Tigers Official team site
• Clemson Tigers football article at Wikipedia