Tag: death valley

Storylines to follow in Alabama’s SEC battle with LSU

The top storylines in Alabama’s SEC West showdown in Death Valley with LSU.

Week 9 of the college football season is complete along with the Alabama bye week.

Four weeks of the regular season remain until the SEC Championship showdown in Atlanta between the top schools from each conference division.

This weekend, the battle in Baton Rouge will go a long way in deciding which team from the West will make the trip to Atlanta as No. 6 Alabama travels to Death Valley to take on No. 17 LSU.

The storylines in this matchup are endless but we will do our best to narrow it down to what we believe are the top five needle movers ahead of this epic showdown between the Crimson Tide and the Bayou Tigers.

COLUMN: Kickoff time doesn’t matter. Death Valley will be Death Valley.

Death Valley will be the same old Death Valley come Saturday morning.

When the kickoff time for Tennessee was announced, I was surprised to see the decision to start it at 11 a.m. CT.

These are two big-time programs. The Vols are undefeated and LSU is riding a four-game winning streak. There are plenty of storylines to watch, too. It’s a chance for Tennessee to go on the road in the SEC West and win, something it hasn’t done that much.

With games against Alabama and Georgia on the schedule, Tennessee needs to beat teams like LSU if it wants to have a season to remember.

In LSU’s case, this is a chance for [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] to cement what he’s building in Baton Rouge. A loss to Florida State wasn’t the best way to start his tenure, but win on Saturday, and that loss is squarely in the rearview mirror.

Suddenly, a New Year’s Six Bowl wouldn’t seem that far-fetched for LSU. Aside from all the narratives, we should see two quality teams play a close game.

So, this isn’t the typical SEC game you see in this time slot. LSU is known for its atmosphere at night. You know how it goes.

“The sun will soon find its home in the western sky, and it will be Saturday night in Death Valley.”

Nobody ever talks about Saturday afternoon or Saturday morning. It doesn’t have the same ring to it. The allure isn’t there.

On Saturday, I don’t think it will matter. I expect Tiger Stadium to be rocking.

After two years of letdowns, there’s excitement around LSU football. Since the Florida State loss, this game has been circled as a chance to earn some national respect.

There are only so many games like this every year, and it’s been a while since LSU’s had one. Fans aren’t going to miss this opportunity.

Brian Kelly came to the SEC to play in front of crowds like this. Players come to LSU to play in front of crowds like this. Tiger Stadium has a certain power to it and it remains turned on, day or night.

This isn’t just a statement game for Kelly, but for everyone involved in and around LSU, the players and the fans. We remember the big games. These are the climaxes that make college football the best reality show on television.

Make no mistake, Death Valley will be the same old Death Valley come Saturday morning.

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Swinney praises Death Valley atmosphere, calls it ‘unbelievable recruiting advantage’

During his weekly Monday call-in radio show, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney raved about the atmosphere at Death Valley during the fifth-ranked Tigers’ 30-20 victory over then-No. 10 NC State last Saturday night. “It’s never been better,” Swinney …

During his weekly Monday call-in radio show, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney raved about the atmosphere at Death Valley during the fifth-ranked Tigers’ 30-20 victory over then-No. 10 NC State last Saturday night.

“It’s never been better,” Swinney said. “It’s 2022. I mean, it’s amazing.”

Swinney gave props to Clemson fans for showing up, being loud and playing their part in making things difficult for the Wolfpack.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney during pregame Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium. Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider

“I tell ya, our fans are amazing,” he said. “To come around on that bus, because the players always kind of notice, when you pull around and you kind of see if those upper corners are full – I mean, it was packed. It was just an amazing energy, and just the engagement of the fans, the roar of the fans – they were awesome, especially in the fourth quarter.

“The Valley was a factor. It is such an advantage that we have. It’s amazing.”

Not only does the Death Valley environment give the Tigers an edge in competition, but Swinney noted that it’s also significant from a recruiting standpoint as well in making a great impression on prospects in attendance.

“It’s amazing, and an unbelievable recruiting advantage and opportunity, and I hope our fans understand that,” he said. “It really is. You get kids on campus, and the energy from your crowd, the engagement, it makes a huge difference. It really does.”

Swinney added that Tiger fans “set the tone” on Saturday.

“Just a great night in The Valley, and our fans were there. They set the tone,” he said. “The Tiger Walk was awesome. You could feel the intensity from the fans, and just one of those fun nights.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Watch: Behind-the-scenes look at Herbstreit’s visit to Death Valley

Kirk Herbstreit was on the call with Chris Fowler and Holly Rowe for ABC’s broadcast of fifth-ranked Clemson’s 30-20 victory over then-No. 10 NC State last Saturday night at Death Valley. Herbstreit, whose son Tye is a redshirt junior receiver for …

Kirk Herbstreit was on the call with Chris Fowler and Holly Rowe for ABC’s broadcast of fifth-ranked Clemson’s 30-20 victory over then-No. 10 NC State last Saturday night at Death Valley.

Herbstreit, whose son Tye is a redshirt junior receiver for the Tigers, took to Twitter this week with a comment on his trip to Death Valley and posted a video showing a cool behind-the-scenes look at his night in The Valley.

Check out footage of Herbstreit on the field before the game, in the broadcast booth and more in the following video:

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Why are LSU’s and Clemson’s stadiums both called Death Valley?

A tale of two Death Valleys: Explained.

During the 2019-20 college football season, Clemson and LSU met in the College Football Playoff national championship game. It was a battle of the undefeated, a battle of Tigers and, most importantly, a battle of Death Valley.

The two teams met that night at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, but both LSU’s and Clemson’s football teams play home games on their respective campuses at 80,000-plus-seat stadiums.

Clemson’s Memorial Stadium (81,500) and LSU’s Tiger Stadium (103,321) are each frequently referred to as Death Valley. Clemson was the first to own the nickname, back in the 1940s, while LSU grabbed the nickname later in the 50s.

Like all nicknames, there’s an origin story. Per Clemson’s athletics website, Memorial Stadium became known as Death Valley in 1948 after a win over Presbyterian College.

Through the years, Memorial Stadium has become known as “Death Valley” across the country. It was tagged by Presbyterian College Head Coach Lonnie McMillian during the late 1940s. After bringing his teams to Clemson for many years and getting whipped, he said the place was like “Death Valley.” A few years later, the name stuck.”

LSU was actually coined as “Deaf Valley,” once upon a time, thanks to how noisy the stadium was. The name “Death Valley” didn’t come along until after the 1959 Sugar Bowl when LSU defeated Clemson. More according to ESPN:

On Jan. 1, 1959, when LSU and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon capped the school’s first national title with a 7-0 victory in the Sugar Bowl, some of those fans stole “Death” when describing the home valley. Why? Because they believed they had earned that right after defeating the team that was already using the name for its home stadium.

So, Clemson’s home is the original Death Valley, and LSU’s is the latest. But the reality is that two Death Valley’s coexist within the college football landscape and are here for the long haul.

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COLUMN: We’ve waited all summer

That’s what makes this sport what it is. The intensity never gets old. We return to the same places expecting the same thing and yet, we never grow tired. 

Football is back.

We’ve waited all summer for this.

Once again, we will take to the fields to tailgate. Lose our lungs on the third down. Check the Wi-Fi on Saturday morning to make sure we’re ready for the day. Sneak that one earbud in so we can listen to the game on the radio at a wedding we didn’t want to attend.

We’ll step outside as the sun is setting and smell the fall smoke in the air. See those leaves falling from the trees. We’ll hear those drumlines marching through campus. We’ll listen to a drunk friend explain why his favorite team is about to pull off the upset of the century.

We’ll get our hopes up just to be let down again. Or maybe, our expectations will be met, and we’ll make the memories of a lifetime.

We’ll sit down and forget about what else is going on in the world. For a few hours, we’ll never be alone, because there’s thousands, maybe millions, watching the same game, rooting for the same team.

For three hours, our family won’t be determined by who we share blood with, but by the colors we wear. We will see things we’ve never seen before. Spectacular plays and thrilling comebacks.

But for all the moments that shock and surprise us, we’ll still have our traditions. Things we’ve seen a hundred times before but still leave us in awe every time.

Maybe, that’s what makes this sport what it is. The intensity never gets old. We return to the same places expecting the same thing and yet, we never grow tired.

Whether it’s a tiger who roams in Baton Rouge, an eagle who flies in Auburn, or a Bulldog that patrols the sideline in Athens.

Metallica will blare in Blacksburg, Virginia. Students in Wisconsin will jump around and cowbells will ring out in Mississippi.

Legends will be made. New eras will begin and some will come to an end.

No matter how we consume this sport or which transitions we embrace, it’s back. So, friends, once again, let’s get together. Let’s go on this joy ride that is the college football season. Feel all of it, victory or heartbreak.

We’ve waited all summer for this. Now, it’s here.

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Did Tony Elliott forget where he came from?

It seems as though Tony Elliott might have forgotten where he came from. Clemson fans might be surprised to hear what the longtime Clemson assistant, and new Virginia head coach, had to say regarding wanting Charlottesville to build a reputation of …

It seems as though Tony Elliott might have forgotten where he came from.

Clemson fans might be surprised to hear what the longtime Clemson assistant, and new Virginia head coach, had to say regarding wanting Charlottesville to build a reputation of being a tough place to play.

“I believe, at Scott Stadium, we can create the most difficult place for other teams to play in the ACC,” Elliott said.

After being on Dabo Swinney’s staff at Clemson since 2011 and coaching in games at Death Valley for the last decade, Elliott enters his first season as the Cavaliers’ head coach in 2022.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Death Valley National Park closes after rare flooding event

Extreme weather has left the valley reeling.

No one expects flash flooding in a hot desert environment. However, as extreme weather events become more common and severe worldwide, people may need to start expecting the unexpected. Recently, Death Valley National Park was the site of one such weather anomaly. As one of the driest and hottest areas in the United States, Death Valley was hit hard by heavy rainfall and flooding on Monday, Aug. 1, and Friday, Aug. 5. The park plans to remain closed into next week.

“The heavy rain that caused the devastating flooding at Death Valley was an extremely rare, 1000-year event,” Daniel Berc, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Las Vegas, said in a National Park Service news release. “A 1000-year event doesn’t mean it happens once per 1000 years, rather that there is a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year.”

A park sign on the ground, covered with sand, near two rocky hills.
© NPS/N.Ramirez

The record-breaking rainfall delivered almost a year’s worth of rain to Death Valley in just three hours. Preliminary data recorded 1.46 inches of rain at the park’s Furnace Creek area. The park’s all-time record for rainfall occurred on April 15, 1988, after 1.47 inches of rain.

While no injuries were reported, the flooding temporarily trapped hundreds of visitors to the area. Debris swept up by the flood also covered 60 vehicles, according to NPR. As for Death Valley National Park’s infrastructure, “severe asphalt damage” has affected hundreds of miles of roads. Repairs will take time, and park superintendent Mike Reynolds says future extreme weather damage may be in the future.

Several cars partially covered in mud.
© NPS

“Death Valley is an incredible place of extremes,” Reynolds said. “It is the hottest place in the world, and the driest place in North America. This week’s 1,000 year flood is another example of this extreme environment. With climate change models predicting more frequent and more intense storms, this is a place where you can see climate change in action!”

Will Clemson be upset in Death Valley this season?

Clemson has won 34 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium, but one analyst believes an ACC team could upset the Tigers this upcoming season.

Coming off a 10-3 season last year, Clemson will host seven games at Memorial Stadium in 2022, and one analyst believes the Tigers could be on home-upset watch in a particular matchup.

Most notably, Clemson will host NC State, Miami and South Carolina. The Tigers have won 34 consecutive games at Memorial Stadium, but in his latest bold predictions post, 247Sports’ Brad Crawford believes that the streak could end when the two teams play on October 1.

Here’s what Crawford said could happen to Clemson in 2022.

NC State Ends Clemson’s Streak, But Fails In ACC Quest

College Football Playoff hopeful NC State will fail in its quest to win the ACC Championship Game this season, but Wolfpack fans will be thinking final four — and rightfully so — after snapping Clemson’s 34-game home winning streak Oct. 1. The Tigers haven’t lost at Memorial Stadium since 2016, the longest active home winning steak in college football. NC State broke the hex against Clemson last season with an overtime win in Raleigh and are arguably the Tigers’ toughest opponent this fall given what the Wolfpack are bringing back after a nine-win campaign. After five weeks and this win, NC State will be ranked inside the top 10 nationally.

The week before hosting NC State, Clemson will have to travel to last year’s Atlantic Division winner, Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons were 11-3 last season, so having to play NC State coming off that game is no easy feat.

Although Clemson struggled against the Wolfpack last year, history is on the Tigers’ side. Before Clemson’s loss in 2021, the Tigers had won eight straight matchups against NC State. Playing at home bodes even better for Clemson, as the last time NC State defeated the Tigers in Memorial Stadium was in 2002.

In last season’s matchup with NC State, Clemson ultimately fell to 27-21, a game in which the Tigers’ offense struggled to move the ball. Clemson had 214 total yards and 10 first downs and was 2-for-11 on third down. The offense returns 10 starters from last season and is expected to be healthier, so coupled with a home crowd, it should produce more than 21 points in October.

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Ranking all 14 SEC football stadiums from worst to first

The SEC is home to 14 teams that have some very unique stadiums that offer a wide variety of experiences. Here’s how they rank.

The SEC is home to not only some of the strongest football teams in the nation, but some of the most dedicated fans. All 14 teams, soon to be 16, have their own home fields and the stadiums in which those fields reside are considered a special and sometime sacred place to many fans.

Recently our friends over at UGA Wire ranked all 14 SEC college towns. We decided it’s time to dig a little bit deeper and rank the stadiums within those towns.

Whether it be a daunting setting that hosts over 100,000 people in Baton Rouge, Louisiana or a smaller horseshoe stadium that offers the visiting team a home field advantage is Nashville, the SEC has a wide variety of stadiums.

Here’s how we rank them.