The No. 3 Clemson Tigers beat the North Carolina State Wolfpack, 24-17, and rushed the field as a favorite. Why does Clemson always rush the field?
The Clemson Tigers move on to 7-0 after beating the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Memorial Stadium, 24-17 on Saturday afternoon. Clemson was the No. 3 team in the nation. North Carolina State wasn’t even ranked, yet Clemson stormed the field. Why do the Tigers always go that?
Well, it turns out that this is a deep-rooted tradition in Clemson football history. It dates back to the 1950s where the Clemson fans are welcomed to come on to the field to sing the alma mater after Tigers home victories.
With Clemson being one of the smaller Power 5 schools in the country, it’s in an inclusive tradition that is synonymous with the football program. It’s a pretty cool thing to watch on television when Clemson beats a ranked opponent at home in Death Valley, but it does look obnoxious when they slaughter a weaker team at home. At least it’s consistent with every Clemson home win.
Clemson is one of the traditional powers in the ACC, so the fans of the Tigers spend a lot of time on the Memorial Stadium turf signing the alma mater after wins. The Tigers are the only undefeated team left in the ACC at 7-0 and look poised for a return trip to the College Football Playoff.
The Tigers were the only undefeated team at the end of last year’s regular season. They beat the North Carolina Tar Heels in Charlotte in the ACC Championship Game to make the second annual College Football Playoff.
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Clemson would go on to lose a nail biter to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 National Championship. Just know that Clemson will storm the field at home regardless of the quality of its opponent.