Clemson University's football team, the Clemson Tigers, competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and previously competed in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) before divisions were dissolved in 2023.
Renowned as one of the premier college football programs in recent years, the Tigers boast an impressive streak of eleven consecutive 10-win seasons, standing second only to the Alabama Crimson Tide in active streaks. Home games have been hosted at Memorial Stadium, aptly nicknamed "Death Valley" since 1948, a nod to the challenging environment for opposing teams. Located on Clemson University's campus in South Carolina, Memorial Stadium ranks among the largest in college football.
How Many Championships Have The Clemson Tigers Won?
The Clemson Tigers football team has won three official national championships.
Clemson secured its first national championship in the 1981 season with a victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The Tigers won their second national championship in the 2016 season by defeating Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Clemson claimed its third national championship in the 2018 season with a dominant win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl | Final AP | Final Coaches |
| 1981 | Danny Ford | AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF | 12–0 | Won Orange Bowl | No. 1 | No. 1 |
| 2016 | Dabo Swinney | College Football Playoff | 14–1 | Won Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal)Won CFP National Championship Game | No. 1 | No. 1 |
| 2018 | College Football Playoff | 15–0 | Won Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal)Won CFP National Championship Game | No. 1 | No. 1 |
When Was The Last Time The Clemson Tigers Won The National Championship?
The Tigers secured their most recent national championship in the 2018 College Football Playoff, staging a remarkable comeback from a 15-0 halftime deficit to emerge victorious. Trevor Lawrence's extraordinary performance as a true freshman quarterback as he led the comeback.
While the 2018 championship run for Clemson contained surprising elements, it ultimately reflected the program's consistent excellence. Prior to that triumph, Clemson had clinched the national title in 2016. Their earliest championship, however, dates back to 1981.
Clemson Tigers National Championships Wins (Years)
The Clemson Tigers have won the National Championship three times. The first championship victory for the Tigers came in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season when they defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl of 1982. They won their next two National Championships in 2016 and 2018 in the CFP National Championship Game both times by defeating Alabama.
| Year | Vs Team | Score |
| 1981 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 22-15 |
| 2016 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 35-31 |
| 2018 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 44-16 |
Clemson Tigers National Championship Appearances?
Under Head Coach Danny Ford in 1981, Clemson secured its first national championship with a perfect 12-0 season and an Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska. Led by notable players, the team finished the '80s as the fifth-winningest in Division 1 football.
After a four-decade championship drought, Dabo Swinney revitalized Clemson, reaching the 2015 College Football Playoffs title match and subsequently winning national championships in 2016 and 2018, both against Alabama. The 2016 victory was 35-31, and the 2018 triumph was a dominant 44-16.
Clemson Tigers Conference Titles Wins (Years)
The Clemson Tigers football team has clinched multiple conference titles till now. A table is provided below for better representation of their achievements:
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
| 1900 | John Heisman | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association | 6–0 | 4–0 |
| 1902 | 6–1 | 6–0 | ||
| 1903† | 4–1–1 | 2–0–1 | ||
| 1906† | Bob Williams | 4–0–3 | 4–0 | |
| 1940 | Frank Howard | Southern Conference | 6–2–1 | 4–0 |
| 1948 | 11–0 | 5–0 | ||
| 1956 | Atlantic Coast Conference | 7–2–2 | 4–0–1 | |
| 1958 | 8–3 | 5–1 | ||
| 1959 | 9–2 | 6–1 | ||
| 1965† | 5–5 | 5–2 | ||
| 1966 | 6–4 | 6–1 | ||
| 1967 | 6–4 | 6–0 | ||
| 1978 | Charley Pell | 11–1 | 6–0 | |
| 1981 | Danny Ford | 12–0 | 6–0 | |
| 1982 | 9–1–1 | 6–0 | ||
| 1986 | 8–2–2 | 5–1–1 | ||
| 1987 | 10–2 | 6–1 | ||
| 1988 | 10–2 | 6–1 | ||
| 1991 | Ken Hatfield | 9–2–1 | 6–0–1 | |
| 2011 | Dabo Swinney | 10–4 | 6–2 | |
| 2015 | 14–1 | 8–0 | ||
| 2016 | 14–1 | 8–0 | ||
| 2017 | 12–2 | 7–1 | ||
| 2018 | 15–0 | 8–0 | ||
| 2019 | 14–1 | 8–0 | ||
| 2020 | 10–2 | 8–1 | ||
| 2022 | 11–3 | 8–0 |
† indicates Co-champions
Clemson Tigers Division Title Wins (Years)
The Clemson Tigers football team has secured the division title an impressive 9 times, they are shown below in a table:
| Year | Coach | Division championship | Opponent | CG result |
| 2009 | Dabo Swinney | ACC Atlantic | Georgia Tech | L 34–39 (vacated) |
| 2011 | Virginia Tech | W 38–10 | ||
| 2015 | North Carolina | W 45–37 | ||
| 2016 | Virginia Tech | W 42–35 | ||
| 2017 | Miami | W 38–3 | ||
| 2018 | Pittsburgh | W 42–10 | ||
| 2019 | Virginia | W 62–17 | ||
| 2022 | North Carolina | W 39–10 |
FAQs
A: The Clemson Tigers have won three National Championships (in 1981, 2016, and 2018).
A: The Clemson Tigers defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win their first National Championship.
A: The Clemson Tigers have won 9 division tiles till now.
A: The Clemson Tigers' home stadium is Frank Howard Field at Clemson Memorial Stadium, famously also known as "Death Valley", which is located in Clemson, South Carolina
A: The Tiger is the official mascot of the Clemson Tigers football team.
