Clemson, SC — It is Game Day in Death Valley where Clemson looks to take down Florida State.
The Tigers look to continue the home win streak which stands at 31 games.
Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley)
Kickoff: 3:30 PM
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Dave O’Brien, Kelsey Riggs, Tim Hasselbeck
2021 Record: Clemson 5-3, Louisville 4-4
ACC Record: Clemson 4-2, Louisville 2-3
Series History: Clemson leads series 6-0
Last Meeting: Clemson won 45-10 on November 19, 2019
CLEMSON TO OPEN NOVEMBER ON THE ROAD AT LOUISVILLE
After a 3-1 month of October, Clemson will open its November slate on Saturday, Nov. 6, when the Tigers play a prime-time contest on the road at Louisville. Kickoff at Cardinal Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Last week, Clemson earned a comeback 30-20 win 2:53 remaining, cardiac Clemson seemed destined for yet another one-score final margin. However, Clemson sealed the win and extended its margin of victory to 10 points when linebacker Barrett Carter picked up a desperation lateral attempt and returned it three yards for a touchdown as the clock expired. It represented the first time Clemson had scored with 0:00 remaining in regulation since the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl, when Chandler Catanzaro hit a game-winning 37-yard field goal to defeat No. 7 LSU, 25-24.
Clemson’s true freshman running back tandem of Will Shipley and Phil Mafah had superlative performances in the victory over the Seminoles. The roommates combined for 197 of Clemson’s 188 rushing yards, as DJ Uiagalelei finished the contest with -9 rushing yards after sacks. Shipley recorded career highs with 25 carries for 128 yards with two touchdowns and was not stopped for a loss on any of his 25 carries. Meanwhile, Mafah recorded Clemson’s longest play of the season on a 63-yard carry in the second quarter.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
– Clemson attempting to push its all-time record against Louisville to 7-0.
– Clemson attempting to win in its first seven games against a school for the third time all-time and the second time against a school presently in the FBS. The Tigers previously won each of their first seven all-time contests in series with Furman and Virginia.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 4-0 all-time at Louisville. Clemson earned a 20-17 win on a Thursday night in Louisville in 2015, secured a 47-21 win in Louisville in 2017, and earned a 45-10 win in Louisville in 2019.
– Clemson playing back-to-back games in the series in Louisville for the first time. After most recently playing in Louisville in 2019, a scheduled game between the two teams at Clemson in 2020 was removed when the ACC instituted its pandemic-adjusted schedule for that season.
– Clemson attempting to score at least 40 points in five straight games in a series with a single opponent for only the third time in school history. Clemson scored 42, 47, 77 and 45 points in its last four meetings with
Louisville. Clemson scored at least 40 in six straight games against Presbyterian from 1947-52, in five straight games against SC State from 2008-21, and in four straight games against The Citadel from 2008-20.
Louisville was the first current FBS program against which Clemson scored 40 points in four consecutive games in a series.
– Clemson entering the game averaging 42.3 points per game against Louisville in six all-time meetings, Clemson’s highest all-time scoring average against an opponent presently in a Power Five conference.
NIGHT MOVES
Clemson’s 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against Louisville will represent Clemson’s fourth night game of the 2021 season. Clemson is 2-1 in night games this season.
It will be Clemson’s 46th night game since the start of the 2015 season. In that time, Clemson is 38-7 in night games, including an 19-4 mark since the start of the 2018 season.
ONE TIGER FROM KENTUCKY
Clemson has one member of its 2021 roster from the Bluegrass State: right tackle Walker Parks.
Parks was a two-year captain at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington, roughly 80 miles east of Louisville. As a senior, he did not allow a sack in 15 games, earning first-team all-state and district player of the year honors en route to being ranked by every major recruiting service as the No. 2 recruit in Kentucky for the Class of 2020.
Upon his signing at Clemson, Parks became the Tigers’ first signee from Kentucky since cornerback Justin Miller in 2002. Miller was a three-year starter, a 2002 freshman All-American and 2004 all-conference honoree who
would become a 2005 second-round pick of the New York Jets.
SENIOR SUCCESS
Every January, Head Coach Dabo Swinney conducts his first official meeting with his new team. The first order of business in the meeting is to “reset the room,” reorganizing the seating arrangement with seniors in front and all succeeding classes in order behind them in the team auditorium.
Each of Clemson’s last four senior classes have placed themselves among select company in college football history. The 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020
Clemson seniors account for four of only 12 four-year classes in FBS history to reach 50 career wins. That includes the 2018 and 2019 groups that are tied with the 2018 Alabama seniors for the most wins in FBS history (55 wins in four years).
TCI Predictions
Robert – Clemson 34, Louisville 20
Sam – Clemson 23, Louisville 20
Davis – Clemson 21, Louisville 16
Gavin – Clemson 24, Louisville 20