10 of Clemson’s 12 regular season games are in the Carolinas
Since Dabo Swinney became the head coach at Clemson at the midway point of the 2008 season, the Tigers are 66-7 at home. If you do the math, that is a 90.4 percent win percentage.
There is no doubt he has truly put the “death” back in Death Valley for the teams that visit Memorial Stadium.
However, the Tigers have become pretty good road warriors too in Swinney’s 10-plus seasons as head coach. Clemson is 35-17 in true road games under his direction, including a 19-1 record in the oppositions’ home stadium since 2015.
This year’s road schedule consists of games at Syracuse, at North Carolina, at Louisville, at NC State and at South Carolina. With the Tar Heels on the schedule this year, plus the Tigers’ regular road trips to Raleigh, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina, it means Clemson will play 10 of its 12 games this regular season in the Carolinas.
“Wow, I didn’t know that,” Swinney said earlier this week. “I didn’t even think about that. Obviously, I don’t look at that as a luxury, but I haven’t even thought about it. But that’s great.”
Swinney is right, it is not a luxury. Clemson has not played at North Carolina since a 21-16 loss to the Tar Heels in 2010. Though the Tigers have won their last two games when visiting South Carolina, they have a 2-3 overall record under Swinney at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Clemson has won its last three trips to Raleigh and is 4-1 at Carter-Finley Stadium since Swinney took over as head coach.
However, Swinney admits he will like getting home earlier than they have in years past.
“I think we had one stretch, I think we went, like, 17 out of 18 road games or something where they were night games. I mean, it was like crazy,” he said. “You’re getting home at 6 a.m. We won most of them. But it’s nice.
“That’s nice to know that when you do go on those road games, and you don’t ever know when you’re going to play, but it is nice to know it’s a short trip whenever the game is over. It’s not like you’re having to go a long way. But, no, that’s pretty cool. It will be great for our parents. Most of our parents, families and fans, easy for them to get to the games also.”