Clemson Tigers football

Clemson Tigers football
Clemson University · Public domain · source
Name	Clemson Tigers
Founded	1896
Stadium	Memorial Stadium
Capacity	81,500
City	Clemson, South Carolina
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Division	Atlantic Division
Head coach	Dabo Swinney
Athletic director	Graham Neff
Fight song	"Tiger Rag"
Mascot	The Tiger
National titles	3 (1981, 2016, 2018)
Conference titles	27
Bowl record	28–23
Consensus All Americans	59

Clemson Tigers football represents Clemson University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The program has a storied history, claiming three national championships in the modern era and producing numerous National Football League stars. Competing in the ACC's Atlantic Division, the Tigers play their home games at the on-campus Memorial Stadium, famously known as "Death Valley."

History

The program's first season was in 1896 under coach Walter Riggs. Early success included a victory in the 1900 season over Auburn in the first Bacardi Bowl. The modern era of prominence began with the hiring of Frank Howard, who led the team to its first major bowl victory in the 1940 Cotton Bowl. The pinnacle of the 20th century was reached under coach Danny Ford, who guided the Tigers to the 1981 national title with a victory over Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl. After a period of fluctuation, the program returned to elite status under current coach Dabo Swinney, winning national championships in the 2016 and 2018 seasons as part of the College Football Playoff.

Championships and awards

Clemson claims three consensus national championships (1981, 2016, 2018) and has won 27 conference championships, including 21 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The program's first national title was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association poll. Individual honors include the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Deshaun Watson, and the 2021 Davey O'Brien Award recipient, quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Tigers have also produced multiple winners of prestigious awards such as the Butkus Award, Outland Trophy, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Notable players

Numerous Tigers have achieved All-America status and enjoyed prolific professional careers. Standouts from the championship eras include William "The Refrigerator" Perry, a key defensive lineman on the 1981 team who later won a Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears. Modern stars include defensive ends Gaines Adams and Clelin Ferrell, and linebackers Isaiah Simmons and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.. Offensive stars who became high NFL Draft picks include running back C.J. Spiller, wide receivers Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, and the aforementioned quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.

Head coaches

The program has been led by 28 head coaches. John Heisman, for whom the trophy is named, coached at Clemson from 1900 to 1903. Frank Howard (1940-1969) is the winningest coach in school history and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Danny Ford (1978-1989) coached the 1981 national championship team. The modern resurgence is led by Dabo Swinney, who took over midway through the 2008 season and has since become the program's all-time leader in conference championships and playoff appearances.

Rivalries

Clemson maintains several historic and intense rivalries. The most prominent is with the South Carolina Gamecocks, known as the Palmetto Bowl or "Battle of the Palmetto State," contested annually since 1909. The Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry with the Florida State Seminoles has often decided the league's Atlantic Division champion. An historic, though currently dormant, rivalry with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets was known for its fierce competition in the early decades of the ACC.

Facilities

The Tigers play home games at Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1942 and is nicknamed "Death Valley," a moniker reportedly given by Frank Howard. The stadium's most iconic feature is Howard's Rock, atop which players rub for tradition before running down The Hill onto the field. The team's primary practice and operational facility is the state-of-the-art Allen N. Reeves Football Complex, which opened in 2017. The complex is adjacent to the indoor practice facility, the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.