Clemson, SC — It is Game Day in the real Death Valley where Wake Forest visits and Clemson battle for the Atlantic Division.
The Tigers celebrate Senior Day as they look to extend their hopes alive of making the ACC Championship.
Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley)
Kickoff: 12:00 PM
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Roy Philpott, Greg McElroy, Alyssa Lang
2021 Record: Clemson 7-3, Wake Forest 9-1
ACC Record: Clemson 5-2, Wake Forest 6-0
Series History: Clemson leads 68-17-1
Last Meeting: Clemson won 37-13 on September 12, 2020
CLEMSON TO FACE WAKE FOREST SATURDAY ON SENIOR DAY
Clemson will conclude both its 2021 home slate and its 2021 regular season conference slate on Saturday when the Tigers host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Nov. 20. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium for Senior Day is scheduled for noon ET.
A win on Saturday would keep Clemson’s chances at an ACC Atlantic Division title alive. Clemson won five straight ACC Atlantic Division titles from 2015-19 and then earned an ACC Championship Game berth in a divisionless season in 2020. A win would also give Clemson at least six regular season conference wins for an 11th straight year and pull the Tigers within three of the longest such streak in ACC history (Florida State,
14 from 1992-2005).
Clemson will honor its decorated 2021 senior class on Saturday in a venue that has treated the group almost immaculately in their careers. There are five Clemson “super seniors” who were on the roster (but did not play) the last time Clemson lost at home (2016 vs. Pitt). This year’s seniors will attempt to finish 26-0 at home in the last four years and would become the second straight senior class to go undefeated at home in a four-year span. The 2020 and 2021 seniors would be the first to post back-to-back undefeated home records over four years since the 1940 and 1941 Clemson seniors who
played home games at Historic Riggs Field before the opening of Memorial Stadium in 1942.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK
– Clemson attempting to improve to 69-17-1 all-time against Wake Forest. Clemson’s current 68 all-time wins against Wake Forest are its second-most against any opponent in school history, trailing the Tigers’ 71 wins against South Carolina.
– Clemson attempting to win its 13th consecutive game against Wake Forest, dating back to 2009. It would mark Clemson’s second 13-game winning streak in series history, trailing a 15-game streak from 1977-91. Clemson’s current 12-game winning streak against Wake Forest is the Tigers’ longest active winning streak against an ACC foe.
– Clemson attempting to earn an 11th straight home victory against Wake Forest, dating back to 2000. Clemson’s last home loss to Wake Forest came in 1998. Clemson’s 10-game winning streak against Wake Forest at Death Valley is its seventh double-digit home winning streak against a single opponent in school history and its second such streak against Wake Forest (16 straight home wins in the series from 1963-91).
– For the first time since 2008, Clemson and Wake Forest playing a game in which the Demon Deacons enter ranked higher than the Tigers in the AP Poll. Clemson lost that game to No. 21 Wake Forest, 12-7, then named Dabo Swinney as interim head coach the following week. – Wake Forest entering a game with Clemson ranked higher than the Tigers in the AP Poll for only the fourth time in what will be the teams’ 87th all-time meeting.
– Clemson attempting to even its all-time record in games against Wake Forest in which the Tigers rank lower than the Demon Deacons in the AP Poll at 2-2. No. 17 Wake Forest beat unranked Clemson, 13-7, in 1944;
unranked Clemson upset No. 14 Wake Forest, 31-0, in 1979; and No. 21 Wake Forest beat Clemson, 12-7, in 2008. Both losses were in Winston-Salem, and Clemson’s win was in Clemson.
SERIES HISTORY VS. WAKE FOREST
Clemson owns 68 all-time wins over Wake Forest, its second-highest victory total against any opponent (71 wins vs. South Carolina). Clemson has a 58-9-1 lead in the series since the formation of the ACC in 1953, an
.860 winning percentage.
Including a season-opening meeting in last year’s pandemic-affected campaign, Clemson has played Wake Forest in football 69 consecutive years, as the last year the two schools did not play was 1952. With the pandemic
interrupting Clemson’s series against South Carolina in 2020, Clemson’s 69 straight years facing Wake Forest is the longest active string of consecutive seasons against one opponent.
Clemson has won 12 in a row in the series, all under Head Coach Dabo Swinney, by a combined score of 479-140. That represents an average victory margin of 28.3, and Clemson has scored at least 28 points in all 12 games.
TCI Predictions
Robert – Clemson 31, Wake Forest 24
Sam – Wake Forest 33, Clemson 28
Davis – Wake Forest 27, Clemson 22