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Saturday Timeline:
After earning road wins at North Carolina and Boston College over the last two weeks, Clemson will return to Death Valley on Saturday, Oct. 18 when the Tigers host the SMU Mustangs. Kickoff for SMU’s first visit to Memorial Stadium in Clemson is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
Saturday’s game will be a rematch of a classic the teams contested in the 2024 ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. In that game, Clemson raced out to touchdowns on each of its first three drives and carried a 24-7 lead into halftime. A furious comeback by SMU tied the game at 31-31 with 16 seconds remaining, but a 41-yard kickoff return by Adam Randall and a 17- yard pass from Cade Klubnik to Antonio Williams set up Clemson’s 56-yard walk-off field goal by Nolan Hauser.
Clemson has made 10 ACC Championship Game appearances, going 9-1 in those games. Prior to this Saturday’s rematch with SMU, Clemson has played a rematch of those ACC Championship Games the following year five times. Clemson is 4-1 in those rematches including regular-season wins against Virginia Tech in 2012 and 2017, Virginia in 2020 and North Carolina in 2023.
Clemson Athletics and Aramark, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, have introduced a designated driver program to promote safe and responsible travel. Fans who sign up as designated drivers will receive a free non-alcoholic beverage at concession stands. Additionally, Clemson Athletics is certified by Kulture City as a sensory-friendly venue. Sensory bags, noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, cue cards, and strobe reduction glasses are available at Guest Services for fans with sensory sensitivities.
Alcohol sales are in place with strict ID requirements in place, including no acceptance of vertical IDs. Guests may purchase a maximum of two drinks per transaction, with sales ending after the third quarter, and service will be denied to anyone visibly intoxicated. To view the entire alcohol policy, click the button below.
In accordance with the ACC’s revised sportsmanship policy, Gathering at the Paw will begin at the conclusion of the alma mater. Fans should stay in their seats, and then may access the field via the Hill and the West stands once the Alma Mater is complete. As always, fans should be respectful of all visitors in athletic venues.
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Three hours leading up til kickoff – Listen Live via the ClemsonTigers App and your local radio affiliate!
– Clemson playing 17 years to the date after Dabo Swinney’s first game as head coach, a 21-17 home loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 18, 2008.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 2-0 all-time against SMU.
– Clemson and SMU meeting in a matchup of the two teams with the most wins against ACC opponents since SMU’s addition to the conference prior to the 2024 season (10 each, including postseason play).
– Clemson attempting to win the first regular season meeting between the two programs. The game will also be the first on-campus game contested between the programs.
– Clemson attempting to win the first two games of a series with an opponent for the 30th time in program history. With a Clemson victory, SMU would become the 11th program currently in a power conference to start 0-2 in a series with Clemson all-time (Alabama, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri, NC State, Ohio State, Stanford, Virginia and Wake Forest).
– Clemson attempting to hand SMU its first ACC loss of the season for the second time in SMU’s two seasons of ACC membership. SMU is 0-1 against Clemson but 10-0 against all other ACC foes since joining the conference.
– Clemson playing a rematch of the prior year’s ACC Championship Game for the sixth time after Clemson’s 10 appearances, including occurrences against Georgia Tech (2009 title game/2010 season), Virginia Tech (2011/2012 & 2016/2017), Virginia (2019/2020) and North Carolina (2022/2023). Clemson is 4-1 in those regular season rematches from the previous year’s title game, with the lone loss coming to Georgia Tech in 2010.
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