Clemson, S.C. — We made it. It is Game Day in Death Valley where the No. 6 Clemson hosts South Carolina State.
Fans will pack Death Valley for the first time in two years to watch the Tigers.
Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Television: ACC Network
Announcers: Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs
2021 Record: Clemson 0-1, S.C. State 0-1
ACC Record: Clemson 0-0
Series History: Clemson leads series 4-0
Last Meeting: Clemson won 59-0 on September 17, 2016
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
– Clemson playing its 121st home opener in school history in its 126th season, as there were five seasons in which Clemson did not play a game at home.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 96-17-8 record in home openers.
– Clemson attempting to win an 18th straight home debut. Clemson has won 17 straight home openers dating to 2004. A win would break Clemson’s longest winning streak in home openers all-time (17 from 1944-60).
– Clemson attempting to improve to 5-0 in its all-time series with South Carolina State. Clemson previously earned wins against SC State in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 36-0 against Football Championship Subdivision teams since the NCAA formed the division prior to the 1978 season.
– Clemson attempting to add to its national-best 47-1 record at home in the College Football Playoff era (since 2014).
– Clemson attempting to win a 29th consecutive home game to extend its school record for both the longest home winning streak and longest home unbeaten streak in school history (as well as extend the nation’s longest
active home winning streak). Of the 135 players on Clemson’s 2021 roster, 130 have never experienced a home loss in their Clemson careers. Five sixth-year “super seniors” on Clemson’s 2021 roster were on the 2016 team that recovered from a home loss to Pitt by winning the national championship that season.
COMMITMENT TO IN-STATE PROGRAMS
Under Head Coach Dabo Swinney and Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich, Clemson has typically adhered to a non-conference scheduling philosophy that features two Power Five opponents (rival South Carolina
and one additional Power Five squad — typically either Notre Dame or a team from the SEC), one Group of Five opponent, as well as one FCS opponent from the state of South Carolina.
The commitment to football in the state of South Carolina at all levels has resulted in the Tigers hosting a Palmetto State FCS team every year since 2007, with Clemson welcoming Furman, The Citadel, South Carolina
State, Presbyterian, Wofford and Coastal Carolina (which has since made the transition to FBS) to Memorial Stadium in that span.
HOME OPENERS
Even though 2021 represents the 126th season of Clemson football, Clemson has had just 120 home openers in its history as a function of the five seasons
in which Clemson did not play a game at home. In 120 home openers, Clemson has a 95-17-8 record against 38 different opponents.
Clemson is 32-2 in home openers since 1987, with its only losses in Death Valley debuts in that span coming in 1999 and 2003. Clemson has won 17
straight home openers with the last loss coming in Dabo Swinney’s first year as an assistant coach, a 30-0 loss to Georgia in 2003.
AT HOME IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
Clemson has been right at home in non-conference contests at Memorial Stadium in recent years, compiling victories in 22 straight non-conference home games.
Clemson’s active 22-game non-conference winning streak at home is the longest such winning streak in program history.
Previously, Clemson’s longest unbeaten streak (including ties) in non-conference home games was a 20-game unbeaten streak from 1978-84 that saw ties against Boston College and Georgia interrupt winning streaks of 12 games, four games and two games.
Since joining the ACC as a charter member in 1953, Clemson is 124-32-4 at home against opponents from other conferences. That includes a 32-3 mark in nonconference games at Death Valley under Head Coach Dabo Swinney.
NO. 1 FOR NO. 1 RECRUITS
As Clemson was in the midst of the winningest decade in school history and tied for the thirdwinningest decade in major college football history, Head Coach Dabo Swinney would frequently point out that Clemson accomplished its goals by finding the right fits for its program in recruiting rather than
chasing recruiting rankings.
Swinney often noted that Clemson accomplished its immense success in his tenure despite never signing the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. That changed in 2020, when ESPN ranked Clemson’s 2020 group as the nation’s top recruiting class. Clemson also recorded its highest rankings in both Rivals (No. 2) and 247 Sports (No. 3) history.
Clemson has signed the nation’s consensus top player in two out of the last four recruiting cycles, welcoming quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2018 and
defensive tackle Bryan Bresee in 2020.
TCI Predictions
Robert – Clemson 62, SC State 3
Sam – Clemson 52, SC State 6
Davis – Clemson 49, SC State 10
Gavin – Clemson 49, SC State 6
Alex – Clemson 63, SC State 3
Bart – Clemson 38, SC State 3