Clemson Tigers football, 1980–1989
The Clemson Tigers football teams of 1980–1989 represented Clemson University in NCAA Division I-A college football competition.
1980
Clemson won its 100th ACC game November 1 against Wake Forest.
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 13* |
Rice |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 19–3 |
60,361
|
September 20* |
at #10 Georgia |
|
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA |
L 16–20 |
61,200
|
September 27* |
Western Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 17–10 |
58,490
|
October 4* |
Virginia Tech |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 13–10 |
64,558
|
October 11 |
at Virginia |
|
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, VA |
W 27–24 |
32,443
|
October 18 |
Duke |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 17–34 |
59,873
|
October 25 |
at North Carolina State |
|
Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) |
L 20–24 |
44,400
|
November 1 |
at Wake Forest |
|
Groves Stadium • Winston-Salem, NC |
W 35–33 |
28,200
|
November 8 |
#14 North Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 19–24 |
62,288
|
November 15 |
at Maryland |
|
Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD |
L 7–34 |
32,650
|
November 22* |
#19 South Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
W 27–6 |
64,200
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1981
1982
Clemson was placed on probation near the end of the season for recruiting violations, and was ineligible for a bowl bid.
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 6* |
at #7 Georgia |
#11 |
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA |
L 7–13 |
82,122
|
September 18* |
Boston College |
#16 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
T 17–17 |
63,118
|
September 25* |
Western Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 21–10 |
61,369
|
October 2* |
Kentucky |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 24–6 |
63,115
|
October 9 |
at Virginia |
|
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, VA |
W 48–0 |
30,971
|
October 16 |
Duke |
#20 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 49–14 |
62,822
|
October 23 |
at North Carolina State |
#18 |
Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) |
W 38–29 |
47,300
|
November 6 |
#18 North Carolina |
#13 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 16–13 |
63,788
|
November 13 |
at Maryland |
#11 |
Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD |
W 24–22 |
51,750
|
November 20* |
South Carolina |
#10 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
W 24–6 |
66,210
|
November 28 |
vs. Wake Forest |
#10 |
National Olympic Stadium • Tokyo, Japan (Mirage Bowl) |
W 21–17 |
80,000
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1983
Clemson was on probation for recruiting violations, and was ineligible for the ACC championship and a bowl bid.
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 3* |
Western Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 44–10 |
69,962
|
September 10* |
at Boston College |
|
Alumni Stadium • Chestnut Hill, MA |
L 16–31 |
32,500
|
September 17* |
#11 Georgia |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
T 16–16 |
79,815
|
September 24 |
Georgia Tech |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
W 41–14 |
73,882
|
October 8 |
Virginia |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 42–21 |
78,376
|
October 15 |
at Duke |
|
Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC |
W 38–31 |
19,300
|
October 22 |
North Carolina State |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Textile Bowl) |
W 27–17 |
73,773
|
October 29 |
Wake Forest |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 24–17 |
65,475
|
November 5 |
at #10 North Carolina |
|
Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC |
W 16–3 |
53,689
|
November 12 |
#11 Maryland |
#17 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 52–27 |
80,615
|
November 19* |
at South Carolina |
#13 |
Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
W 22–13 |
74,550
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1984
Clemson was on probation for recruiting violations, and was ineligible for the ACC championship.
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 1* |
Appalachian State |
#4 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 40–7 |
75,398
|
September 8 |
at Virginia |
#3 |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, VA |
W 55–0 |
38,676
|
September 22* |
at #20 Georgia |
#2 |
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA |
L 23–26 |
82,122
|
September 29 |
at #20 Georgia Tech |
#13 |
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
L 21–28 |
57,704
|
October 6 |
North Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 20–12 |
80,111
|
October 20 |
Duke |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 54–21 |
80,617
|
October 27 |
at North Carolina State |
|
Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) |
W 35–24 |
44,100
|
November 3 |
Wake Forest |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 37–14 |
71,697
|
November 10* |
Virginia Tech |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 17–10 |
77,754
|
November 17 |
at Maryland |
#20 |
Memorial Stadium • Baltimore, MD |
L 23–41 |
60,575
|
November 24* |
#9 South Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
L 21–22 |
82,093
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1985
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 14* |
at Virginia Tech |
|
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, VA |
W 20–17 |
31,000
|
September 21* |
Georgia |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 13–20 |
80,473
|
September 28 |
Georgia Tech |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
L 3–14 |
79,309
|
October 5* |
at Kentucky |
|
Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY |
L 7–26 |
58,230
|
October 12 |
Virginia |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 27–24 |
79,110
|
October 19 |
at Duke |
|
Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC |
W 21–9 |
31,800
|
October 26 |
North Carolina State |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Textile Bowl) |
W 39–10 |
72,316
|
November 2 |
Wake Forest |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 26–10 |
71,179
|
November 9 |
at North Carolina |
|
Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC |
L 20–21 |
50,000
|
November 16 |
Maryland |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 31–34 |
78,037
|
November 23* |
at South Carolina |
|
Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
W 24–17 |
75,026
|
December 21* |
vs. Minnesota |
|
Independence Stadium • Shreveport, LA (Independence Bowl) |
L 13–20 |
42,800
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1986
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 13* |
Virginia Tech |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 14–20 |
75,930
|
September 20* |
at #14 Georgia |
|
Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA |
W 31–28 |
81,377
|
September 27 |
at Georgia Tech |
|
Grant Field • Atlanta, GA (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
W 27–3 |
46,062
|
October 4* |
The Citadel |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 24–0 |
75,540
|
October 11 |
at Virginia |
#20 |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, VA |
W 31–17 |
44,300
|
October 18 |
Duke |
#17 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 35–3 |
81,320
|
October 25 |
at #20 North Carolina State |
#16 |
Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) |
L 3–27 |
51,300
|
November 1 |
at Wake Forest |
|
Groves Stadium • Winston-Salem, NC |
W 28–20 |
20,370
|
November 8 |
North Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 38–10 |
79,210
|
November 15 |
at Maryland |
#15 |
Memorial Stadium • Baltimore, MD |
T 17–17 |
58,758
|
November 22* |
South Carolina |
#19 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
T 21–21 |
82,492
|
December 27* |
vs. #20 Stanford |
#21 |
Gator Bowl Stadium • Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl) |
W 27–21 |
80,104
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1987
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 5* |
Western Carolina |
|
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 43–0 |
71,465
|
September 12* |
at Virginia Tech |
#10 |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, VA |
W 22–10 |
42,000
|
September 19* |
#18 Georgia |
#8 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 21–20 |
81,875
|
September 26 |
Georgia Tech |
#9 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
W 33–12 |
78,832
|
October 10 |
Virginia |
#8 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 38–21 |
79,963
|
October 17 |
[[{{{school}}}|Duke]] |
#7 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 17–10 |
70,294
|
October 24 |
[[{{{school}}}|NC State]] |
#7 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Textile Bowl) |
L 28–30 |
73,613
|
October 31 |
Wake Forest |
#14 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 31–17 |
69,711
|
November 7 |
at [[{{{school}}}|North Carolina]] |
#10 |
Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC |
W 13–10 |
53,115
|
November 14 |
Maryland |
#9 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 45–16 |
76,773
|
November 21* |
at #12 [[{{{school}}}|South Carolina]] |
#8 |
Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
L 7–20 |
75,043
|
January 1* |
vs. #20 Penn State |
#14 |
Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL (Florida Citrus Bowl) |
W 35–10 |
53,152
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1988
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
Result |
Attendance |
September 3* |
[[{{{school}}}|Virginia Tech]] |
#4 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 40–7 |
78,714
|
September 10* |
[[{{{school}}}|Furman]] |
#3 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 23–3 |
80,620
|
September 17* |
#10 [[{{{school}}}|Florida State]] |
#3 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
L 21–24 |
85,576
|
September 24 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Georgia Tech]] |
#12 |
Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA (Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry) |
W 30–13 |
45,106
|
October 8 |
at [[{{{school}}}|Virginia]] |
#11 |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, VA |
W 10–7 |
42,000
|
October 15 |
#22 [[{{{school}}}|Duke]] |
#11 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 49–17 |
83,356
|
October 22 |
at #24 [[{{{school}}}|North Carolina State]] |
#9 |
Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) |
L 3–10 |
55,000
|
October 29 |
at Wake Forest |
#15 |
Groves Stadium • Winston-Salem, NC |
W 38–21 |
27,300
|
November 5 |
[[{{{school}}}|North Carolina]] |
#17 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC |
W 37–14 |
78,369
|
November 12 |
at Maryland |
#16 |
Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD |
W 49–25 |
45,000
|
November 19* |
#25 South Carolina |
#15 |
Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Battle of the Palmetto State) |
W 29–10 |
84,867
|
January 1* |
vs. #10 Oklahoma |
#9 |
Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL (Florida Citrus Bowl) |
W 13–6 |
53,571
|
*Non-Conference Game. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
1989
References
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Venues |
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Bowls & rivalries |
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Culture & lore |
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People |
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Seasons |
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National championship seasons in bold
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