Yesterday, we got the announcement that Clemson football vs Notre Dame on Saturday, October 3 will be an 8 p.m. kickoff. What does this mean for the Tigers?
There is no question how loud Death Valley, South Carolina is each and every Saturday. When there is a night game, however, there is a special kind of “magic” in the air that is intensified by the night lights. If you’ve never experienced a night game in Death Valley, it’s something that cannot be explained, but it also will never be forgotten for those that have seen it. The festivities leading up to the game (the added time to tailgate especially) and the buildup make for a great atmosphere and every Clemson football fan is on their feet ready to support the Tigers late into the evening.
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Everyone knows the Valley will be rocking Saturday, October 3. It very well may be the hardest ticket to get in the history of Clemson football. Every single seat will be filled and I’d imagine there will be thousands of Tiger fans outside the stadium, as well. With all that being said, let’s take a look at how the Clemson football program has fared in night games over the past four years.
Home night games have been hard to come by. As a matter of fact, the Tigers did not have a home night match up in 2011. They had several away games on the road, but all the home games fell in the 12 or 3:30 time range. In 2012, Clemson football had one home night game. It came all the way at the end of the season when the Tigers played South Carolina. At the time, Clemson was 10-1 and ranked #11 in the nation, while the Gamecocks were ranked #12. South Carolina took advantage of some Clemson mistakes and beat the Tigers 27-17 in Death Valley.
In 2013, Clemson opened up with a home night game against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Tigers picked up the win, one of the biggest in Clemson football season for a home-opener. Later on that season, Clemson hosted Florida State in a match up of epic proportions. The Tigers came into the game ranked #3 in the nation and the Seminoles were #5. If Clemson would have won, they would have not only had the inside track for the ACC, but could’ve been National Championship contenders. Unfortunately, the Tigers were embarrassed on the national stage, losing to the would-be national champions by a score of 51-14. Clemson then played Georgia Tech on a Thursday night for the third home night game of the season. The Tigers won 55-31.
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Last season, Clemson had one home-night game and that was against Syracuse in October. The Tigers picked up a 16-6 win. The Tigers also beat UNC last year in a game that started at 7 p.m.
That means in the past four years, there have been five home night games. Clemson has a 4-2 record in those match ups. So, what does this mean? It simply means this: Enjoy the atmosphere next Saturday.
Why?
There are not many chances to see Death Valley at night time. Clemson does not get the benefit of the doubt and doesn’t get the opportunity to host night games several times a season. This very well may be the only home night game of the season, so enjoy it while it’s here and if there is another opportunity, savor every moment to be in Death Valley- especially at night time.