History of Clemson Tigers football
The Tigers’ early success included their first undefeated season in 1900 under coach John W. Heisman, who led the team to a 19–3–2 record.
Ken Hatfield, Ford’s successor, focused on cleaning up the program's image but faced criticism from fans, leading to his resignation.
Walter Riggs can be characterized as the "Father of Clemson Football", as he brought the game with him from Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now Auburn University).
Eddie Cochems, a future innovator of the former pass, had just lost out to Phil King for the Wisconsin job, when he accepted to coach Clemson's 1905 team.
[15] In May 1929, when rumors were swirling that he might leave to coach a bigger-name program, the students, faculty, and staff took up a collection to buy him a brand new black Buick automobile.
An acronym for "I Pay Ten A Year," as that was what it asked boosters to donate when founded in 1934, IPTAY has since grown into one of the largest and most comprehensive collegiate sporting funds in the nation and a model for other programs.
On June 30, 1974, he retired from the university payroll, but continued to come into his office daily until failing health slowed him down, serving as Clemson's ambassador until his death in 1996.
[22][23] The traditional "tiger paw" logo, which was designed by John Antonio of Henderson Advertising, was introduced in 1970 by Ingram and Clemson President R.C.
Dual-threat quarterback Steve Fuller and the running back tandem of Lester Brown and Marvin Sims spearheaded a dynamic rushing attack that helped the Tigers win the ACC.
He won his first game, the 1978 Gator Bowl, with a 17–15 victory over Ohio State and legendary coach Woody Hayes, who punched MG Charlie Bauman in the throat after making the game-clinching interception.
[32] This NCAA sanction was due to a lengthy history of recruiting violations to gain an athletic advantage that had taken place from 1977 and into 1982, under the administration of two head coaches.
From 1987 to 1990, Clemson posted four consecutive 10 win seasons and won three straight ACC titles, including a 35–10 victory over Penn State and a 13–6 defeat of Oklahoma in the 1989 Florida Citrus Bowl.
[citation needed] Five years after their first probation under Ford ended, Clemson once again found their football program accused of multiple recruiting violations in January 1990.
[35] The NCAA accused Clemson coaches of committing 14 rules violations, including giving cash to players and having illegal contact with recruits over a period from 1984 to 1988.
Largely due to this discontent, school officials refused to grant him a one-year extension on his contract after the 1993 season, even though the Tigers had rebounded from 5–6 in 1992 to an 8–3 record that year and were invited to the Peach Bowl.
Expressing "much disappointment" in what he saw as a lack of support by Clemson fans and several university officials, Hatfield resigned at the end of the regular season.
Tommy West replaced Ken Hatfield at the end of the 1993 season, coaching the Tigers to a 14–13 victory in the 1993 Peach Bowl against Kentucky.
The 1999 meeting between the Tigers and Seminoles was dubbed the "Bowden Bowl" and was the first time that a father and son coached against each other in Division I football.
On December 1, Clemson removed the "interim" tag from Swinney's title and named him the 27th head coach in school history, with a five-year contract.
[45] On November 21, 2009, Swinney and the Tigers qualified for their first ACC title game berth, only to lose to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 39–34.
[47] During the 2010 season, after a close 24–27 overtime loss to national champion Auburn on the road, Clemson was later defeated in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina.
[61] The Tigers then claimed a six-game winning streak in the middle of their season but lost to Georgia Tech as star freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson went out with a knee injury early in the 1st quarter.
Behind the leadership of Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson, the Tigers won the 2015 ACC Championship against number 10 North Carolina by a score of 45–37.
4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the 2015 Orange Bowl by a score of 37–17 to advance to the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship game against the number 2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on January 11, 2016.
[66] Clemson lost the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game to Alabama, 45–40 ending the school's 17-game winning streak.
[68] With a loaded offense and plenty of young talent waiting to emerge on defense, Clemson entered 2016 as one of the frontrunners to contend for the national championship.
[71][72][73] As expected from last season's returning starters, quarterback Deshaun Watson anchored an explosive offense that averaged 503 yards per game.
[75] Clemson finished with a regular season record of 12–1, which culminated with a 56–7 win at home over arch-rival South Carolina, Swinney's largest margin of victory over the Gamecocks during his career.
Clemson received a berth to the 2019 Fiesta Bowl (December) against the Ohio State Buckeyes, their fifth straight College Football Playoff appearance.
[86] After the 2022 season, Swinney fired offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter[87][88][89] and replaced him with 2022 Broyles Award winner Garrett Riley.
