At no point in the history of Memorial Stadium have two senior classes in back-to-back years finished their Clemson careers undefeated at home.
But that can change Saturday if the Tigers can knock off 10th-ranked Wake Forest.
The 2020 Clemson seniors finished their careers 27-0 at Death Valley, this year’s senior class can finish 26-0 with a victory over the Demon Deacons.
For clarity purposes, Clemson had back-to-back senior classes go undefeated in their home careers, but those occurred at Historical Riggs Field. The 1940 and ’41 seniors produced undefeated home careers.
“That is one of those things where you go, ‘Wow!’ That is a long time,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “(Offensive line coach) Robbie Caldwell was not alive 1940 and 1941. That is a long time. That is a long time.”
The Tigers (7-3, 5-2 ACC) have won 33 straight games at Death Valley, currently the longest home winning streak in the nation. Clemson’s last loss at home came on November 12, 2016, as Pitt then stunned third-ranked Clemson, 43-42.
“You know why it is a long time? Because it is hard to win,” Swinney said. “There is a reason why it has been since 1940 and 1941. Back-to-back senior classes rolling out here undefeated, we could have five in a row without losing a game at home. There is a lot of opportunity in this game.”
But going undefeated in the 1940s at home was a whole lot easier than it is now. In those days, the Tigers played just two home games a year. The 1940 and ’41 classes were just 8-0 in Clemson.
The Tigers won 11 straight home games from the start of the 1937 football season through the 1942 season.
“They were building Death Valley. I guess they needed money, so they played a bunch of away games or something. They played like two home games a year,” Swinney said. “Not to take anything away from the 1940 and ’41 group, but I think they only had to go 8-0 or something like that.
“This bunch has had to win a bunch of them, and it has been pretty cool.”
This year’s seniors hold a 46-6 overall record in the last four years, one of only seven four-year classes in school history to win at least 45 career games. They helped Clemson win each of the last three ACC Championship Games, one of only 10 classes in Clemson history to win three ACC titles in a four-year span.
Some of the notable seniors who will be running down the hill for a final time on Saturday are cornerback Mario Goodrich, kicker B.T. Potter, wide receiver Justyn Ross, linebacker James Skalski, linebacker Baylon Spector, punter Will Spiers, defensive end Xavier Thomas and safety Nolan Turner.
“I love these seniors. What a cool thing to be able to walk off the field and say you never lost a home game,” Swinney said. “That is pretty cool. In college football, there are not many people that can say that. That is really, really hard.”
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