The last time Clemson entered a game on Halloween, and was undefeated, it scored the most points ever against an ACC opponent. And up until last week’s win at Miami, the 58-point margin in Clemson’s 82-24 win over Wake Forest on October 31, 1981, stood alone as the largest margin of victory by a Clemson team over an ACC foe.

Coincidentally, the Tigers were 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press College Football Poll heading into that Halloween game. Third-ranked Clemson (7-0, 4-0 ACC) will visit NC State this Saturday, which is Halloween, for a 3:30 p.m. kick on ABC.

But as his Tigers prepared for Wake Forest on Halloween in 1981, Clemson head coach Danny Ford was worried about the Demon Deacons’ ability to throw the football.

Though Wake Forest was 3-5 coming into the game, it had a wide-open passing attack led by quarterback Gary Schofield. Ford feared the Demon Deacons could score from anywhere on the field.

“Every snap of the ball is like a two-minute offensive drill,” Ford said during the week leading up to the game according to the book The Clemson Tigers: From 1896 to Glory. “They have a pass controlled offense, and they are committed to throwing the ball. I’ll bet right now that they’ll throw the ball sixty times or more.”

Like Ford expected, Wake Forest came out throwing the ball. On their first drive of the game Schofield threw the ball the first five times he took a snap, and with the football sitting just across midfield he went back for a sixth attempt when he fumbled it and defensive tackle Dan Benish jumped on it for Clemson.

Seven plays later, running back Cliff Austin found the end zone from a yard out as the Tigers took a 7-0 lead. Austin scored on a three-yard touchdown the next time Clemson got the ball for a 14-0 advantage, and they were still in the first quarter.

Following a 17-yard touchdown pass from Schofield, the Tigers erupted for a still school-record 35 points in the second quarter. First Chuck McSwain scored on a one-yard run, and then Kevin Mack followed with a 10-yard touchdown.

Quarterback Homer Jordan got into the act with a seven-yard score around the left side. Running back Jeff McCall followed with a 24-yard rumble on the Tigers’ next possession, while McSwain got his second touchdown of the afternoon with a 16-yard run.

When the scoring fest was over, the Tigers had a 49-7 lead. Wake Forest did get a second score just before the end of the half to make the halftime score 49-14 at the break.

It did not take long for Clemson to score again in the second half. On the first play from scrimmage, Jordan found wide receiver Perry Tuttle for a 75-yard touchdown pass. After Wake Forest added a field goal, backup quarterback Mike Gasque hit Tuttle with a 25-yard touchdown pass for a 62-17 lead.

Before the third quarter came to an end, McSwain scored for a third time, this time from 12 yards away for a 69-17 lead.

Wake Forest could not even stop Clemson’s third or fourth string players from scoring. Reserve running back Duke Holloman went from five yards out in the fourth quarter. Five minutes later, Craig Crawford, whose name was not even on the game day roster, broke loose for a 72-yard touchdown.

In the end, the Tigers set ACC records for total yards (756), rushing yards (536), margin of victory (58 points) and points scored (82) in the 82-24 victory in Death Valley.

In all, nine Tigers scored on the day.