Clemson football has one of the best home atmospheres in college athletics.
Even as schools across the country are cutting home attendance either completely out or cutting it significantly to meet necessary social distancing requirements – Clemson football will still enjoy a home-field advantage.
If you have not seen how the Clemson athletic department set up Death Valley for home games this season, check it out. They did an excellent job of trying to ensure that despite cutting attendance from 81,500 to 19,000 that the stadium will still look full all the way around.
Since September 19, 1942, when Clemson football played its first-ever home game in Death Valley, the Tigers have accumulated 375 wins to just 101 losses and six ties. That works out to a 75 percent win percentage.
Clemson football has been nearly unbeatable at home over the last decade.
Under the leadership of head coach Dabo Swinney, Clemson football is 73-6 at home since he took over for Tommy Bowden in 2008. That works out to a 92 percent win percentage. The Tigers have not lost a home game since November 12, 2016, when Pittsburgh upset the Tigers 43-42; that is a 22 home game winning streak.
The last non-conference game that the Tigers lost in Death Valley – November 24, 2012. That was a 27-17 loss to South Carolina.
While the Citadel won’t end that streak on Saturday, having all 19,000 fans in Death Valley will mean the world to the young men that put on a Clemson football uniform every week. While they practice with empty stands, they love to play for the Clemson faithful and this will give them a little bit of normalcy in a year that has been anything but normal.
While this is going to be a much different college football season than anyone has ever experienced, fan attendance at home games in 2020 is not guaranteed and Clemson football fans should take every opportunity to show up for a group of players that continues to show up for us.