Clemson Sports Talk
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These days, it’s hard to argue that Clemson isn’t at least trying to up the ante with its out-of-conference scheduling.
Athletic Director Dan Radakovich and Clemson’s football program have made it their mission to bolster a premiere matchup they can hang their hat on at seasons end. In the past, it’s been games against Auburn, Notre Dame, Georgia, and Texas A&M that not only were wins that strengthened Clemson’s postseason resume, but were also a blast for the traveling Clemson fan base.
And there’s no doubt that Clemson’s future non-conference schedule will continue to add to that exciting, beat-the-best-to-be-the-best mantra that head coach Dabo Swinney likes to live by. In the future, the Tigers will travel to Notre Dame, LSU, and even Oklahoma way down the road in 2035.
Who knows if Dabo Swinney will still be coaching by then?
That got us to thinking: What out-of-conference teams would we like to see Clemson schedule a home-and-home series with?
We know, scheduling opponents so far in advance is not the easiest task to maneuver around. This list is strictly for the imagination. If Clemson can schedule a series with Oklahoma, then we’d like to believe a deal could be made with anyone.
After all, who wouldn’t want to play against the Tigers in primetime?
Here are five teams we’d like to see Clemson play in the future:
Honorable SEC mentions
Tennessee -- Even though the Tigers have not traveled to Knoxville, TN since 1976, there has been a bit of a rivalry that has been built up off the field. Two of Clemson’s premier wide receivers, Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers, were plucked right out of the Volunteers’ backyard. Former No. 1 quarterback Hunter Johnson was committed to Tennessee before a visit to Clemson. Then, he flipped his commitment to Clemson shortly after. Trevor Lawrence wears No. 16 for one reason: his idol growing up - Peyton Manning, a former national champion for Tennessee.
A trip to Neyland Stadium wouldn’t be far and the Volunteer fans would definitely travel to the upstate. The only problem would be that this game would be like Alabama scheduling Duke in its opener.
© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
A visit to the swamp would be an ideal stop for Clemson on the east coast.
Florida -- Clemson has not played Florida since 1954 and has not been to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium the way it looks today. In 14 tries, the Tigers have only beaten the Gators The way Clemson recruits in the state of Florida, this would be a no-brainer, early-season matchup that would be beneficiary for fans on both sides.
Alabama -- Dabo Swinney returning home to coach on the opposing sidelines in Tuscaloosa would be the ultimate treat. The Crimson Tide and Tigers have already come together with their own miniature rivalry with meetings in the postseason, so it would only be right for the two to meet in an early-season contest. Could you imagine how fast tickets would sell? Alabama is merely an honorable mention because they have lined up against the Tigers for the past four years. Clemson needs something different.
© Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Another west coast visit for the Tigers would give them a larger recruiting footprint in California.
UCLA/USC - Rose Bowl
We saw what happened the last time the Tigers traveled west. And what does Clemson have to do to finally play in Pasadena, Calif. at The Rose Bowl? Well, an early-season matchup against UCLA could take care of that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Clemson fans. The Tigers have never played against UCLA, but there’s no time like the present.
Clemson has, however, played the University of Southern California one time. In 1966, the Trojans shut out the Tigers 30-0. Sure, the USC these days isn’t the same USC from the Pete Caroll era, but this would be another fun trip out west. Plus, wouldn’t it be cool to play have two USC’s on the schedule in the same season? Just a thought.
Ohio State
Now, onto the big boys. We know Ohio State has to be tired of the “O-H-31-0” jokes. There feels like a bit of a rivalry there ever since the classic Orange Bowl where Clemson barely outlasted Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes 40-35. Not to mention, the off-the-field recruiting battle over Jackson Carmen and how that ruffled some feathers up north. The Buckeyes have never played at Clemson and Clemson has never been to The Horshoe. If Oklahoma and Ohio State can schedule a home-and-home series, and we saw how much fun that was, then why shouldn’t Clemson?
© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines need to challenge for a playoff spot in 2019.
Michigan
Give us Jim Harbaugh versus Dabo Swinney on any given Saturday. Seriously, the press conferences alone from that week would keep us entertained. Michigan is a storied program with 11 national titles, three Heisman winners, and the all-time winningest record in college football. An old power that these days could benefit from a big out-of-conference win against the new force in Clemson. The two teams have never played each other, and how fun would a trip to the Big House be for Clemson fans? If the Tigers can play at Notre Dame, surely a trip to Michigan isn’t too far fetched.
Texas
When you add tradition, excellence, and people who love their college football together, you get Texas and Clemson. The Tigers have already taken care of Oklahoma and Texas A&M in the past few years, so why not head back to the Lone Star State for another star-studded showdown? The Tigers have never been to Austin, Tx. and the Longhorns have never been to Death Valley. Both of these teams produce one of the best gameday atmospheres in the country, so it’d be an excellent chance for fans on both sides to take in the traditions.
© Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Tailgating in the shadows of Mount Nittany for a night game in Beaver Stadium? Yes, please.
Penn State
Imagine: A crisp, early-October Saturday evening. As the sun sets, over 106,000 fans inside an electric Beaver Stadium are on their feet, dressed in all white, as the Penn State Nittany Lions run onto the field. On the other side of the field stands Clemson players, also dressed in all-white uniforms, awaiting the coin toss. A trip to Penn State, especially if it were the biggest game of the Nittany Lion home schedule, would be an absolute classic. Happy Valley is a place where the home team rarely loses, and both sides have been in the College Football Playoff picture in recent years.
“I think a white-out game day is something I think you don't really understand unless you can come experience it for yourself,” head coach James Franklin said in 2017.
Happy Valley versus Death Valley in consecutive years? Sign. Us. Up.
Let us know who you would want Clemson to play out of conference in the comments.
