Clemson National Championship Wins

Last Modified Dec 12, 2024 14:25 GMT
2024 ACC Football Championship - Clemson v SMU
Clemson Tigers. Source: Getty Images

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 a 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.

YearCoachSelectorRecordBowlFinal APFinal Coaches
1981Danny FordAP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF12–0Won Orange BowlNo. 1No. 1
2016Dabo SwinneyCollege Football Playoff 14–1Won Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Won CFP National Championship GameNo. 1No. 1
2018College Football Playoff15–0Won Cotton Bowl (CFP Semifinal) Won CFP National Championship GameNo. 1No. 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.

While the 2018 championship run for Clemson contained surprising elements, it ultimately reflected the program's consistency. 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 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 a better representation of their achievements:

YearCoachConferenceOverall recordConference record
1900John HeismanSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Association6–04–0
19026–16–0
1903†4–1–12–0–1
1906†Bob Williams4–0–34–0
1940Frank HowardSouthern Conference6–2–14–0
194811–05–0
1956Atlantic Coast Conference7–2–24–0–1
19588–35–1
19599–26–1
1965†5–55–2
19666–46–1
19676–46–0
1978Charley Pell11–16–0
1981Danny Ford12–06–0
19829–1–16–0
19868–2–25–1–1
198710–26–1
198810–26–1
1991Ken Hatfield9–2–16–0–1
2011Dabo Swinney10–46–2
201514–18–0
201614–18–0
201712–27–1
201815–08–0
201914–18–0
202010–28–1
202211–38–0
202410–37–1

Clemson Tigers Division Title Wins (Years)

The Clemson Tigers football team has secured the division title 9 times, they are shown below in a table:

YearCoachDivision championshipOpponentCG result
2009Dabo SwinneyACC AtlanticGeorgia TechL 34–39 (vacated)
2011Virginia TechW 38–10
2015North CarolinaW 45–37
2016Virginia TechW 42–35
2017MiamiW 38–3
2018PittsburghW 42–10
2019VirginiaW 62–17
2022North CarolinaW 39–10

FAQs on Clemson Tigers

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.

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