1979 Clemson Tigers football
Peach Bowl, L 18–24 vs. Baylor
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record8–4 (4–2 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJimmye Laycock (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorMickey Andrews (3rd season)
CaptainBubba Brown, Billy Lott
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1978
1980 →
1979 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
NC State $ 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Clemson 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Wake Forest 3 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
No. 15 North Carolina 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 1
Virginia 1 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Duke 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its second season under head coach Danny Ford, the team compiled an 8–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents), tied for second place in the ACC, lost to Baylor in the 1979 Peach Bowl, and outscored opponents by a total of 205 to 116.[1][2] The team won the 300th game in Clemson history on September 22 and played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Bubba Brown and Billy Lott were the team captains. The team's statistical leaders included Billy Lott with 1,184 passing yards, Marvin Simms with 743 rushing yards, Perry Tuttle with 544 receiving yards, and placekicker Obed Ariri with 62 points scored (16 field goals, 14 extra points).[3]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 81:00 p.m.Furman*
W 21–055,908[4]
September 153:20 p.m.Maryland
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
L 0–1952,474[5]
September 221:00 p.m.Georgia*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC (rivalry)
W 12–762,573[6]
October 61:00 p.m.Virginiadagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
W 17–762,310[7]
October 131:30 p.m.at Virginia Tech*
W 21–037,700[8]
October 201:30 p.m.at Duke
W 28–1024,600[9]
October 271:00 p.m.NC State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC (rivalry)
L 13–1661,412[10]
November 31:00 p.m. No. 14 Wake Forest
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
W 31–059,205[11]
November 101:00 p.m.at North CarolinaNo. 18
W 19–1050,100[12]
November 171:30 p.m.at Notre Dame*No. 14
W 16–1059,075[13]
November 241:30 p.m.at No. 19 South Carolina*No. 13
L 9–1356,887[14]
December 31vs. No. 19 Baylor*No. 18
L 18–2457,321[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[16][17]

Game summaries

Duke

1 234Total
• Clemson 7 1470 28
Duke 3 007 10
Scoring summary
1DUKEScott McKinney 34 yard field goalDuke 3-0
1CLEMMcSwain 14 yard run (Pauling kick)Clemson 7-3
2CLEMMcSwain 12 yard run (Pauling kick)Clemson 14-3
2:22CLEMPerry 1 yard run (Pauling kick)Clemson 21-3
3CLEMPerry 1 yard run (Pauling kick)Clemson 28-3
4DUKEGreg Rhett (Scott McKinney kick)Clemson 28-10

[18]

Roster

1979 Clemson Tigers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 3 Homer Jordan Fr
WR 22 Perry Tuttle So
RB 39 Marvin Sims Sr
OL 55 Jeff Bostic Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DL 66 Steve Durham Jr
DT 83 Jim Stuckey Sr
DT 99 Jeff Bryant So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 1 Obed Ariri Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

References

  1. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "1979 Clemson Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1979 Clemson Tigers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Furman fails to tame Clemson". The Greenville News. September 9, 1979. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Tigers blanked by Terps, 19–0". Greensboro Daily News. September 16, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Clemson gains revenge, dumps Georgia". The Times and Democrat. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Clemson defense leaves Virginia 0-for-forever". The Charlotte Observer. October 7, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Clemson making progress 21–0". The Charlotte Observer. October 14, 1979. Retrieved December 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Clemson rips Blue Devils, 28–10". The Lynchburg News. October 21, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "'Pack edges Tigers, 16–13". The Sun-News. October 28, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Wake Forest bubble bursts at Clemson". The Opelika-Auburn News. November 5, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Tigers boot Heels". The Greenville News. November 11, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Clemson feasts on Irish errors". Dayton Daily News. November 18, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Abe Hardesty (November 25, 1979). "Gamecocks trip lunging Tigers". The Greenville News. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Baylor's passing game shocks Clemson". The Odessa American. January 1, 1980. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1979". Clemson University. 1979. p. 154. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1980". Clemson University. 1980. p. 2. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  18. ^ Gainesville Sun. 1979 Oct 21.
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