TCI Game Day: Clemson Battles Miami

MIAMI GARDENS — It is game day in South Florida where the Tigers and the Canes battle once again.

The Tigers look to win build on the momentum they created before the bye week and stay in the hunt for the ACC Championship.

Location: Hard Rock Stadium

Kickoff: 8 PM

Television: ACC Network

Announcers:  Wes Durham, Tim Hasselbeck, Taylor Tannebaum

2023 Record: Clemson 4-2,  Miami 4-2

ACC Record: Clemson 2-2, Miami 0-2

Series History: Clemson leads series 7-6

Last Meeting:  Clemson won 40-10 on November 22, 2022

Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney will attempt to pass College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard for sole possession of Clemson’s all-time head coaching wins record on Saturday, Oct. 21, when his Tigers face the Miami Hurricanes in prime time. Kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

Prior to Clemson’s open date last week, Swinney tied Howard atop Clemson’s all-time leaderboard with a 17-12 win against Wake Forest on Oct. 7. Both the opponent and the opponent’s point total drew historical parallels. Wake Forest last defeated Clemson in 2008, a loss that led to Swinney’s ascension to head coach the following week. Wake Forest also scored 12 points in
that contest, though in 2008 those 12 points resulted in a 12-7 Wake Forest win rather than the 17-12 defeat Wake Forest suffered this season that evened Swinney with Howard in the wins column.

Miami — both the city and the program — have been involved in several memorable moments for Swinney. As a player, Swinney and the Alabama Crimson Tide won the 1992 national championship by virtue of a 34-13
Sugar Bowl win against No. 1 Miami in New Orleans. In 2009, Swinney earned his first win against a ranked opponent when unranked Clemson went on the road and upset eighth-ranked Miami in overtime, 40-37.  The region was also the host of Clemson’s first BCS bowl victory — a 40-35 Orange Bowl win against Ohio State to end 2013 — as well as Clemson’s first College Football Playoff victory, a 37-17 win against Oklahoma in 2015.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

– Head Coach Dabo Swinney attempting to earn his 166th career win to pass College Football Hall of Famer Frank Howard (165 from 1940-69) for sole possession of the Clemson record for career head coaching wins.
– Swinney attempting to match the career win total of College Football Hall of Famer Red Blaik, who won 166 games at Dartmouth and Army from 1934-58. Swinney’s .801 win percentage is already ahead of Blaik’s .759.
– Clemson and Miami (Fla.), which met in a 40-10 Tiger win last November, meeting in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004-05.
– Clemson, which took the all-time series lead against Miami for the first time last year, attempting to move its series record against the Hurricanes to 8-6.
– Clemson attempting to win a fifth straight game against Miami for the first time in school history. Clemson’s four straight wins in the series include two wins in Clemson in 2020 and 2022, a win in the 2017 ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, and a 58-0 win in the Tigers’ most recent road game at Miami in 2015.
– Clemson entering the game having outscored the Hurricanes by an aggregate score of 178-30 over the teams’ last four contests.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 44-20 in games following regular season open dates in the ACC era (since 1953). Clemson has won 14 of its last 16 regular season games following open weeks.

CLEMSON FOLLOWING OPEN DATES

Since joining the ACC as a charter member in 1953, Clemson has played 63 regular season games following off weeks. The Tigers are 43-20 in those contests. Clemson is 16-3 under Head Coach Dabo Swinney when playing a regular season game following an off week, including two such occurrences in the 2013, 2014, 2019 and 2020 seasons. Clemson has won 14 of its last 16 regular season games after open weeks.

PRIME TIME IS CLEMSON’S TIME

Clemson’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff against Miami will be Clemson’s third night game of the 2023 season and its 58th night game since the start of the 2015 season. In that time, Clemson is 47-10 in night games, including a 28-7 mark since the start of the 2018 season.

TCI Predictions 

Robert – Clemson 27, Miami 21

Will – Clemson 21, Miami 17