Clemson Announces Football Schedule

December 21, 1998

Clemson, SC–Florida State will travel to Clemson on October 23 for the first meeting of father and son coaches in college football history. That is just one of the highlights of Clemson’s 1999 football schedule, announced Monday afternoon by the Atlantic Coast Conference office.

Clemson will face a school record tying seven teams who went to bowl games in 1998 on its 1999 schedule. Clemson’s 1995 schedule had seven teams who went to bowl games in 1994. Each of Clemson’s first five games in 1999 are against teams who were in bowls in 1998.

This year’s slate has just five games in Death Valley, fewest since 1986 when Clemson also had just five home games. This will be just the second time since 1977 that Clemson has had just five home games.

“This is an excellent schedule,” said Head Coach Tommy Bowden. “The ACC is getting stronger and stronger, you can see that by the number of teams in bowl games this year. The talent level in this league has been upgraded.

“Our three non-conference opponents are certainly going to be tough competition. Marshall will be a tough opener, they have been to bowls each of the last two years.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden of Florida State will bring his Seminoles to Death Valley to face Tommy Bowden’s Clemson Tigers in what should be one of the most anticipated games in the 57-year history of the facility. Tommy Bowden became head coach at Clemson this past December 2. Never before in college history have father and son coached against each other.

“I really haven’t talked about that game with my father,” continued Tommy Bowden. “Both of us have been busy recruiting. But, I am sure we will talk about it over the summer when we vacation as a family, and next season as we get closer to the game. It will be a big game, of course, everyone’s big game in the ACC is against Florida State. But, having father against son will add to it.”

Another highlight of the schedule will take place on November 20 when Clemson will travel to South Carolina for the regular season finale. This contest will be a meeting of first year head coaches Tommy Bowden of Clemson and Lou Holtz of South Carolina.

The Tigers open the season against Marshall on September 4. The Thundering Herd has won 21 of their last 24 games and has been to a bowl game each of its two seasons in Division I. Clemson’s first ACC game is the following weekend, also at Death Valley, against Virginia. The Cavaliers have won each of their last two games at Clemson.

On September 23, a Thursday evening, Clemson will travel to Virginia Tech. This will be Clemson’s first Thursday night road game in history. The contest will be televised nationally by ESPN. It will be Clemson’s first trip to Blacksburg since 1989. The Tigers will not play the Saturday before and the Saturday after that Virginia Tech contest.

The Tigers return home for a October 2 game with North Carolina. Clemson has just five home games this year, and only two of the last seven contests will be played at home. The home finale will be November 6 against Duke. The final two games will be on the road, at Georgia Tech on November 13 and at South Carolina on the 20th.

The date of Homecoming and other special dates will be announced later.

1999 Clemson Football Schedule

September 4    MarshallSeptember 11   VirginiaSeptember 23   (Thur)at Virginia TechOctober 2      North CarolinaOctober 9      at NC StateOctober 16     at MarylandOctober 23     Florida StateOctober 30     at Wake ForestNovember 6     DukeNovember 13    at Georgia TechNovember 20    at South Carolina