CLEMSON – It is game day in Death Valley where the Tigers host Notre Dame.

The Tigers look to revenge last season’s loss to the Irish and start a November to remember.

Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley)

Kickoff: 12 PM

Television: ABC

Announcers:  Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath

2023 Record: Clemson 4-4,  Notre Dame 7-2

ACC Record: Clemson 2-4

Series History: Clemson leads series 4-3

Last Meeting:  Notre Dame won 35-14 on November 5, 2022

After meeting twice in South Bend and twice in postseason play in the previous five years, Clemson will welcome the Notre Dame Fighting Irish back to Death Valley for the first time since 2015 when the teams square off this Saturday, Nov. 4. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., is scheduled for noon ET.

Notre Dame has visited Memorial Stadium only twice, first in 1977 and again in 2015. The Irish’s 2015 visit ranks among the most memorable contests in the facility’s history, as 12th-ranked Clemson defeated
sixth-ranked Notre Dame in ESPN College GameDay’s featured contest. Amid a torrential downpour from the remnants of Hurricane Joaquin, Clemson jumped out to a 21-3 third quarter lead. The Tigers withstood
a furious Notre Dame rally and snuffed out a Notre Dame two-point conversion attempt with seven seconds remaining to hold on to a 24-22 victory that spawned Head Coach Dabo Swinney’s famous “Bring Your Own
Guts” postgame comments.

This Saturday, Swinney will again attempt to pass College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard for sole possession of Clemson’s all-time head coaching wins record. Swinney tied Howard with his 165th career victory in a 17-12 win against Wake Forest on Oct. 7.

Clemson enters the game having scored a rushing touchdown in 50 consecutive games at Death Valley, the nation’s longest active home streak. The last team to hold Clemson without a rushing touchdown at Memorial Stadium was Troy in 2016.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

– Head Coach Dabo Swinney attempting to earn his 166th career win to pass College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard (165 from 1940-69) for sole possession of the Clemson record for career head coaching wins.
– Swinney attempting to match the career win total of College Football Hall of Famer Red Blaik, who won 166 games at Dartmouth and Army from 1934-58. Swinney’s .793 win percentage is already ahead of
Blaik’s .759.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 34-9 in games following a loss under Swinney, including season openers following a loss in the previous season finale.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 20-9 under Dabo Swinney in rematches with opponents to whom he’s lost his most recent meeting.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 5-3 all-time against Notre Dame.
– Clemson attempting to move to 2-1 all-time in home games against Notre Dame.
– Head Coach Dabo Swinney attempting to improve to 4-2 all-time against Notre Dame.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 31-7-2 against FBS independents since the NCAA split Division I into the divisions now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision in 1978.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 91-12 in regular season play since the start of the 2015 season. Ten of Clemson’s 12 regular season losses in that span have been decided by a final margin of 10 or fewer points.

SWINNEY IN REMATCHES

Clemson has suffered only 43 losses under Head Coach Dabo Swinney. Clemson has had 28 previous opportunities to avenge its most recent loss against an opponent, going 19-9 in those contests. Outside of Notre Dame, there are 14 opponents against whom Swinney’s squads are awaiting a rematch since Clemson’s last loss in the series: Nebraska, TCU, USF, West Virginia, LSU, Ohio State, Georgia, Pitt, Tennessee, South Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Miami (Fla.) and NC State.

AT HOME IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

Clemson has been right at home in non-conference contests at Memorial Stadium in recent years, compiling victories in 28 of its last 29 non-conference home games.

Clemson had won 26 straight until a one-point loss to South Carolina in November 2022. Previously, Clemson’s longest unbeaten streak (including ties) in non-conference home games was a 20-game unbeaten streak from 1978-84 that saw ties against Boston College and Georgia interrupt winning streaks of 12 games, four games and two games. Since joining the ACC as a charter member in 1953, Clemson is 130-33-4 at home against opponents from other conferences. That includes a 38-4 mark in nonconference games at Death Valley under Head Coach Dabo Swinney.

TCI Predictions 

Robert – Clemson 24, Notre Dame 17

Will – Notre Dame 20, Clemson 17

Cameron – Notre Dame 27, Clemson 17