Every week, it seems like Clemson is making history in something.
This week, the third-ranked Tigers have an opportunity to set the school’s all-time home winning streak when they host Wake Forest Saturday. Currently, Clemson has won 21 straight games at Memorial Stadium, dating back to a win over rival South Carolina on November 26, 2016.
This year’s seniors were just freshmen then, and their only home loss in their Clemson careers came against Pittsburgh on November 12, 2016.
“This group, it seems like they are making history every week it seems like,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “It’s like there is something big happening each week. Obviously, this past week they won the division for a fifth time and got to 10-0 for only the fifth time ever, 10th win. Those are lots of things.
“The seniors have a chance to get a 52nd win in their careers, but to know to get a 22nd straight home-win, which would set a school record, that is awesome when you have an opportunity like that to go and shoot for.”
It will also be special to break the record on Senior Day, while tying the 2017 and 2018 classes with a 27-1 all-time mark at Death Valley, the best in Clemson history.
As for the seniors, they will run down the hill one final time with one of the best marks in school history to this point, with an opportunity to leave Clemson as the all-time winningest class depending how the season goes. Right now, they hold a 51-3 overall record in the last four years, one of only five senior classes in FBS history to post at least 51 career wins in four years.
They will become the second senior class in conference history to play in four consecutive ACC Championship games, and with a win in Charlotte, could become the second class in conference history to win four ACC titles outright, joining Clemson’s 2018 class.
They are also attempting to become Clemson’s second straight senior class to earn four consecutive College Football Playoff berths during their careers. They have won 43 games against Power Five conference opponents since 2016, the most in the country.
The 2019 seniors have been ranked in the AP Top 10 in every poll of their careers, one of only two senior classes in the country able to make that claim. That includes a streak of 34 consecutive appearances in the Top 5 since 2017, the longest streak in school history.
They hold a 29-2 record in ACC regular season play and a 32-2 overall record against ACC opponents.
A 30th ACC regular season win this week would tie the school record and conclude the seniors’ regular season ACC careers one-win shy of the all-time conference record of 31. They can finish 23-1 in ACC Atlantic division play with a win on Saturday.
The class has already posted 4-0 marks against four of their six Atlantic division foes (Boston College, Florida State, Louisville and NC State) and can add Wake Forest to that list with a victory on Saturday.
“Those a are great things and fun things that kind of challenges within the challenge, if you will,” Swinney said. “But I think the consistency at home is something we take a lot of pride in and that will be a really cool thing to be able to accomplish.”
SENIOR DAY HONOREES
Included below is the list of players who will be honored on Senior Day this week. This includes academic seniors who may potentially elect to forego their final year of athletic eligibility (e.g.: Christian Wilkins in 2017 prior to returning for 2018)
No. Player Hometown Career GP/GS
- 73 OL Tremayne Anchrum 2 Powder Springs, Ga. 50/32
- 87 TE J.L. Banks Madison, Ga. 5/0^
- 59 OL Gage Cervenka 1 Greenwood, S.C. 41/18
- 9 CB Brian Dawkins Jr. Parker, Colo. 7/0
- ** OL Zach Giella 1 Lincolnton, Ga. 20/0
- 83 WR Carter Groomes 2 Central, S.C. 14/0
- 48 LB Landon Holden Inman, S.C. 4/0
- 14 S Denzel Johnson 2 Columbia, S.C 49/0
- 19 S Tanner Muse 1 Belmont, N.C. 54/34
- 14 WR Diondre Overton 1,3 Greensboro, N.C. 46/4
- 58 LS Patrick Phibbs Pittsburgh, Pa. 39/0
- 76 OL Sean Pollard 2 Jackson Springs, N.C. 50/33
- 78 OL Chandler Reeves 2 McDonough, Ga. 24/0
- 98 P/PK Steven Sawicki 2 Fayetteville, N.C. 9/0
- 11 LB Isaiah Simmons 2 Olathe, Kan. 39/24
- 74 OL John Simpson 2 North Charleston, S.C. 45/24
- 43 LB Chad Smith 1,3 Sterling, Va. 53/10
- 37 RB Tyler Traynham 4 Spartanburg, S.C. 2/0^
- 12 S K’Von Wallace 2 Richmond, Va. 54/31
Note: **Four-year team member ruled ineligible to play in 2019 by NCAA ^Does not include GP/GS prior to arrival at Clemson 1 Graduate; 2 Expected December Graduate; 3 Pursuing Master’s Degree; 4 Earned undergraduate degree at Wofford College
–Clemson Athletic Communications contributed to this story
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