Upcoming Clemson Tigers Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Clemson football in brief: a modern power with old roots
The Clemson Tigers play home football games at Memorial Stadium, known as Death Valley, on the Clemson University campus in upstate South Carolina. With a listed capacity of 81,500 and room for more than 86,000 with standing room, it is the largest stadium in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Home games fall on Saturdays from late August or early September through late November.
Clemson first played in 1896, coached by John Heisman in its early years, and was a founding member of the ACC in 1953. It holds the most ACC titles of any member. The program claims three national championships: the unbeaten 1981 team under Danny Ford, which beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, and the College Football Playoff champions of the 2016 and 2018 seasons, both of which beat Alabama in the title game.
Dabo Swinney became head coach in 2008, and the Swinney era produced a 15–0 season (the first since 1897), six straight playoff appearances from the 2015 through 2020 seasons, six straight ACC titles in the same span and a streak of eleven consecutive 10-win seasons that ran from 2011 through 2022.
Where to sit in Death Valley
Memorial Stadium opened in 1942 with 20,500 seats, the lower half of today's south grandstand. Sideline seats were added in 1958, west end zone seats in 1960, and the sidelines were double-decked with Top Deck South in 1978 and Top Deck North in 1983. The WestZone project, built in phases from 2004 to 2015, enclosed the west end zone with suites, club seats and the team's facilities. The east end holds the Hill, where the team makes its entrance past Howard's Rock.
North side vs. south side
The field runs east to west, so the sidelines face north and south. Seats between the 30-yard lines in the lower bowl give the best view of the game. As a general rule for this orientation, fans on the north side face south toward the afternoon sun, while south-side fans have it at their backs. Early-season games in South Carolina can be very hot, so for a noon or mid-afternoon September kickoff, seats sheltered by an upper deck are worth seeking out. The upper decks themselves sit high above the field but give a full view of formations.
East end vs. west end
The east end zone is the place to be for the entrance: the players gather around Howard's Rock at the top of the Hill and run down onto the field as the cannon fires and the band plays "Tiger Rag." The west end zone has the WestZone's premium seating. End zone seats cost less than sideline seats, but the far end of the field is a long way off in a stadium this size.
Choosing a section
Low front-row seats on the sideline sit behind the benches and can see less of the field than seats 15 or more rows up. Fans with children who want a calmer setting usually do better away from the student and band areas; check the seating map when you buy.
South Carolina, Florida State and Clemson's biggest home games
Death Valley fills for most games, but these matchups draw the most demand:
- South Carolina. The rivalry dates to 1896 and is the biggest annual sporting event in the state by ticket sales. It was played in Columbia as "Big Thursday" until 1959; since 1960 it has alternated between the two campuses, so Clemson hosts in alternating years. Clemson's Ranger and ROTC cadets guard Howard's Rock for the 24 hours before the game when it is played in Death Valley.
- Florida State. The two are permanent ACC rivals, and for years their meeting decided the Atlantic Division. The 1999 game, the first father-son coaching matchup in major college football (Bobby and Tommy Bowden), set the stadium attendance record of 86,092.
- Georgia Tech. A series dating to 1898 between two programs once coached by John Heisman, played as a permanent ACC rivalry.
- Big non-conference visitors. Georgia, Notre Dame and other national brands make occasional trips; the 2013 Georgia game and 2015 Notre Dame game both brought ESPN's College GameDay.
Night games and Homecoming push demand higher. Early-season games against smaller programs are usually the easiest way in.
Howard's Rock, the Hill and Clemson traditions
Howard's Rock came from Death Valley, California, a gift to coach Frank Howard in the early 1960s. It sat as a doorstop in his office until 1966, when it was mounted at the top of the east end zone hill. Players began rubbing it before running down the Hill in 1967, after Howard told them to give 110% "or keep your filthy hands off of my rock." The Rock now sits in a protective case.
Running Down the Hill started when the locker rooms were in Fike Field House, up the hill from the stadium. Today the team rides buses around the stadium to the top of the Hill before the run. Broadcaster Brent Musburger called it "the most exciting 25 seconds in college football" in 1985.
After home games, fans are allowed onto the field at a set time for Gathering at the Paw, where they sing the alma mater around the center of the field. The name Death Valley itself was popularized in 1948 by Presbyterian College coach Lonnie McMillian, and Frank Howard used it from the 1950s on. Outside Gate 1, the Scroll of Honor memorializes Clemson service members killed on duty.
How Clemson football tickets work
Clemson's donor organization, IPTAY, sits at the center of the ticket system. Season-ticket locations and parking are assigned by IPTAY giving level and priority points within each level; as of the 2026 season, the athletics department assigns gameday parking the same way. Students receive a separate allocation. Single-game tickets are sold to the public when available, but big games can be gone before the public sale opens.
That is why resale is how most visiting fans and casual buyers get into Death Valley for the South Carolina game, a top ACC opponent or a night game. Supply comes from season-ticket holders who cannot attend, and prices tend to track the opponent, the team's ranking, the kickoff time and the forecast. Lower-profile September games often loosen close to kickoff; rivalry games usually do not. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Bag, entry and mobile-ticket rules are set by Clemson Athletics and can change each season, so check the current policy on the Clemson Athletics gameday pages before you go.
A short history of Death Valley
Coach Jess Neely, leaving after the 1939 season, told Frank Howard not to build a big stadium, suggesting 10,000 seats would be all Clemson ever needed. The school built anyway, and much of the early work was done by scholarship athletes; the stadium opened on September 19, 1942, with a win over Presbyterian. The playing surface was named Frank Howard Field when Howard retired in 1974. The NFL's Carolina Panthers played their first season here in 1995 while their Charlotte stadium was finished.
Notable home games include the 1981 upset of defending champion Georgia on the way to the national title, the 1988 "Puntrooskie" loss to Florida State, a 2003 win over No. 3 Florida State, the 2015 win over Notre Dame in a downpour and the 42–36 win over No. 3 Louisville in 2016. A 2007 game against Boston College was measured at 133 decibels, at the time the loudest reading recorded in a college football stadium.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Clemson's stadium called Death Valley?
The name comes partly from a cemetery on a hill that once overlooked the field and partly from Death Valley in California. Presbyterian College coach Lonnie McMillian used it in 1948, and Frank Howard popularized it in the 1950s.
How many people does Memorial Stadium hold?
Memorial Stadium's listed capacity is 81,500, and it can hold more than 86,000 with standing room. The record crowd is 86,092 for Florida State in 1999.
When does Clemson run down the Hill?
The team runs down the Hill in the east end zone just before kickoff at every home game, after touching Howard's Rock. Be in your seat early to see it.
What is IPTAY?
IPTAY is Clemson's athletics donor organization. Season-ticket locations and gameday parking are assigned by IPTAY giving level and priority points.
Where is the Clemson–South Carolina game played?
Since 1960 the rivalry has alternated between Clemson's Memorial Stadium and South Carolina's stadium in Columbia, so Clemson hosts in alternating years.