The Rivalry Trophies of Clemson Football

The Textile Bowl Trophy: Clemson Football vs NC State

The first meeting between Clemson and NC State was in 1899, a contest won by the Tigers 10-0. The game was played in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Since then the teams have met 89 more times. The two schools are similar. They are both public land-grant research universities. Both schools have strong programs in engineering and agriculture. They are natural rivals because they are so similar.

Another similarity is that both schools have strong textile programs. Textiles were a key industry in the Southeast for most of the 20th century. The series picked up the moniker “The Textile Bowl” and the textile programs from each school began a tradition of visiting the other university when they hosted the game.

The game was fiercely contested for many years from 1960-2000, but since the turn of the century, the Tigers have held the upper hand. NC State has only won twice since 2004.

Additionally, the textile industry has declined significantly in the last half-century. Most mills and plants that were key to the region have closed since textile manufacturing has moved to foreign soil.

As such the name “Textile Bowl” seems a bit dull to many, but the label has stuck even if younger fans don’t often use it. The Textile Bowl Trophy is still awarded to the annual winner.