CLEMSON – It is game day in Death Valley where the Tigers host North Carolina in a rematch of last year’s ACC Championship game.

The Tigers look to build on the momentum after defeating Notre Dame and Georgia Tech and improve their bowl positioning.

Location: Memorial Stadium (Death Valley)

Kickoff: 3:30 PM

Television: ESPN

Announcers:  Bob Wischusen, Robert Griffin III, Kris Budden

2023 Record: Clemson 6-4,  North Carolina 8-2

ACC Record: Clemson 3-4, North Carolina 4-2

Series History: Clemson trails series 39-19-1

Last Meeting:  Clemson won 39-10 on December 3, 2022

Clemson will play its 2023 home finale on Saturday, Nov. 18, when the Tigers host the North Carolina Tar Heels. Kickoff for Senior Day at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C., is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.

Following a 31-23 win against No. 12 Notre Dame on Nov. 4, Head Coach Dabo Swinney issued another memorable postgame salvo in a career full of them when he told a national ABC audience, “I know we’re down and everybody’s throwing dirt on us, but if Clemson is a stock, you better buy all you can freakin’ buy right now.” Investors got a peek at reasons for Swinney’s bullish outlook a week later as Clemson opened Q4 of the regular season by trouncing Georgia Tech, 42-21.

Clemson has fielded a relatively young roster in 2023, particularly on offense, where the Tigers have only one starter confirmed to move on after this season (center Will Putnam). Clemson’s freshmen took center stage last week in the win against the Yellow Jackets, accounting for three of Clemson’s six touchdowns (Tyler Brown, Josh Sapp and Shelton Lewis) and all four of Clemson’s season-high four interceptions (Khalil Barnes, Avieon Terrell, Kylon Griffin and Lewis). According to Stats Perform, it was the first time since at least 2000 that an FBS team had four different freshmen record an interception in a single game.

“That’s why we recruited them,” Swinney said. “Those guys have been working and preparing. It’s fun to see them growing their confidence.”

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

– Clemson attempting to improve to 40-19-1 against North Carolina all-time. North Carolina would become the sixth program to be defeated by Clemson 40 times (South Carolina, 72, Wake Forest, 71; NC State, 60; Furman, 44; Virginia, 40).

– Clemson attempting to earn a sixth consecutive victory against North Carolina, starting with a 59-38 victory in 2011. It would be Clemson’s third winning streak of at least six games in series history (six from 1958-63 and
seven from 1986-92).
– Clemson attempting to improve to 10-3 all-time against Mack Brown. A win would improve Dabo Swinney to 3-0 against Brown.
– Swinney attempting to improve to 37-5 all-time against teams from the state of North Carolina.
– Clemson attempting to finish 6-1 at home this season to extend its streak of winning at least six games at Memorial Stadium to 13 years. The next longest
streak of six-plus home wins in the country entering 2023 was three years (Coastal Carolina).
– Clemson finishing its second of two three-game homestands this season, Clemson’s 35th homestand of three or more games in school history (1911, 1920, 1922, 1949, 1959, 1962, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 (2), 1993, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022 and 2023 (2)).

– Clemson attempting to improve to 65-3 at Death Valley in the College Football Playoff era. Clemson is tied with Alabama for the nation’s best home record in that time frame.
– Clemson attempting to score 40 or more points in consecutive games for the second time this season (vs. Charleston Southern and vs. Florida Atlantic in
September).
– Clemson attempting to reach 400 yards in back-toback games for the first time since the first two games of the season.
– Clemson attempting to reach 200 yards both rushing and passing in back-to-back games for the first time since the first two games of the season.

CLEMSON VS. MACK BROWN

Saturday’s contest will mark Clemson’s 13th all-time game against a team led by North Carolina Head Coach Mack Brown, though it will represent only Clemson’s third meeting with Brown after 1997, when Dabo
Swinney was still a 27-year-old tight ends coach at Alabama.

Including this week, at least one team will have entered ranked in 11 of the soon-to-be 13 all-time meetings between Clemson and squads led by Brown.

SENIOR DAY

Currently, the 2023 Clemson senior class…
… holds a 37-12 record in the last four years, tied for
the fifth-most wins in the nation in that span.
… can become the 10th consecutive Clemson class
to win at least 40 games in a four-year span with three
more wins.
… won ACC Championships in 2020 and 2022 and
is one of 30 senior classes in Clemson history to earn
multiple conference championships in a four-year span

TCI Predictions 

Robert – Clemson 45, North Carolina 17

Will – Clemson 42, North Carolina 27

Cameron – Clemson 35, North Carolina 31