Wake Forest vs. Clemson Notes

Clemson Team Notes

• Clemson is 11-0 for just the third time in school history. The other seasons were 1948 and 1981. Clemson finished 11-0 in 1948 and finished 12-0 and won the national championship in 1981.

• This is the fifth time Clemson has won at least 11 games, but the third time in the last four years. Dabo Swinney has been the head coach for three of the five seasons Clemson has won at least 11 games.

• Clemson has won 14 straight games, the second-longest winning streak in school history. It is the longest winning streak since the Tigers had the record 15-game winning streak between 1947-49.

• Clemson has won 20 of its last 21 games, the best 21-game record in Clemson history. The previous best was a 19-1-1 record between 1980-82.

• Clemson finishes the ACC regular season with an 8-0 record. This is the first Clemson team to go 8-0 in the regular season in league games. It is the first undefeated record against ACC teams for the program since 1983, when Clemson finished 7-0.

• Clemson has won 36 straight against teams unranked by the AP or USA Today polls. Clemson has won 38 games in a row against teams not ranked by Associated Press. Only Alabama has a longer streak with 59 in a row.

• Today was the 700th win in Clemson history. Clemson is the 23rd program in FBS history to reach 700 wins and the fifth this year. Florida won its 700th game last weekend at South Carolina.

• This was the 43rd victory for Clemson’s seniors. They set the school record with this victory. The seniors are now 43-7, and that 86.0 winning percentage is also a Clemson record.

• Today was the 28th ACC regular-season win for this senior class, also a school record. It actually set that record last weekend with the win at Syracuse. The group finishes with a 28-4 record in ACC regular-season play.

• Today was the 16th consecutive home victory for Clemson, already a school record. Clemson has the second-longest home winning streak in the country. Only Florida State has a longer home winning streak.

• Clemson’s seniors closed their career with a 26-2 home record, tied for the most home wins for a senior class. The 2014 senior class also had a 26-2 mark.

• Clemson finished 7-0 at home for the second straight year. It is the first time Clemson has had consecutive perfect seasons at home since 1950,51, when Frank Howard’s teams went 4-0 in consecutive years. Clemson had three consecutive unbeaten home seasons between 1981-83, but the 1982 and 1983 teams had one tie.

• Clemson totaled 552 yards on offense, a seventh straight game with at least 500 yards. That is a school record.

Clemson Individual Notes

• With his touchdown reception in the first half, Deon Cain became the second first-year freshman in Clemson history to record a touchdown reception in four consecutive games. Sammy Watkins was the other in 2011.

• Germone Hopper recorded his first touchdown of the season on a 47-yard pass from Deshaun Watson in the first half.

• Germone Hopper notched a season high in receiving yards (120).

• Kevin Dodd has a recovered fumble in consecutive games.

• With Mitch Hyatt and Jake Fruhmorgen starting, it is the first time since the 1943 South Carolina game that two first-year freshmen started for the Tigers at offensive tackle. In 1943, freshmen offensive linemen Carroll Gainer and Pitts Seay started. Gainer weighed 183 pounds and Seay weighed 195 pounds.

• Senior Jordan Bianchi recorded his first career reception in the fourth quarter.

• Senior Brennan Goodnature had his first career carry in the fourth quarter, good for six yards.

• Dabo Swinney is 46-6 at home as Clemson’s head coach. He is 27-3 against ACC teams, and one of the losses was his first game against Georgia Tech in 2008 when he had taken over the program the Monday before the game.

• Swinney is tied for third in coaching victories in Clemson history with 72. He tied his predecessor, Tommy Bowden, with today’s victory. Bowden was 72-47 between 1999-08. Swinney is 72-26 since he took over for Bowden in October 2008.

• Swinney’s 100th game as Clemson’s head coach will be the ACC Championship Game on December 5.

• Clemson offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain is now the winningest player in Clemson history. He played in his 43rd win today, more than any other Tiger. He is the only senior to play in every game the last four years. Adam Humphries, Robert Smith and DeShawn Williams had the record entering this year, having played in 42 wins between 2011-14.

• Deshaun Watson improved to 15-1 as Clemson’s starting quarterback, including 14-0 in games he started and finished.