2007 Clemson Tigers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Clemson
football team represented Clemson University
in the 2007 college football
season. The Tigers were led by head coach Tommy Bowden
and played their home games in Memorial Stadium
.
on Labor Day, Monday, September 3, 2007 in both teams' season opener. The game was played before a primetime national audience on ESPN as the only college football game in that time slot. It was only Clemson's second regular season Monday night game, the last being in 1982 against the University of Georgia
.
Clemson opened its season with 3 consecutive home game victories. This is the first time that there have been 3 consecutive home games to open the season since 2003 and only the eighth time since 1923. Clemson will be playing against the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference
champion Wake Forest
in November and will play the 2006 Mid-American Conference
champion Central Michigan
for the first time. The 2007 season will see Clemson meeting Louisiana-Monroe and Central Michigan for the first time.
In the pre-season, incoming quarterback Willy Korn was named one of the top-10 impact freshman for 2007.
, coaching the Seminoles, against his son, Tommy. Following their 4-0 start, Clemson gave up two losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech respectively. Following the two game losing streak, the Tigers went on to another four game winning streak. The team then finished the season with its toughest loss of the season (losing in the final seconds to Boston College, 20-17) and greatest triumph (defeating rival South Carolina 23-21 with a last-second field goal). With a record of 9-3, the Tigers received a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl
.
During the September 8th game against UL-Monroe, Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper threw five touchdown passes, setting a new school record for most touchdown passes thrown in a single game, a feat he has now duplicated. He currently holds numerous school records, including touchdown passes in a season (27).
Harper need only throw for 122 yards, and leading rusher James Davis rush for 8 yards, for this to be the first Clemson team in history to have a 3,000 yard passer, 1,000 yard rusher, and 1,000 receiver (WR Aaron Kelly exceeded 1,000 for the year during game-winning drive against South Carolina).
On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Clemson had accepted a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl
opposite the Southeastern Conference's
Auburn Tigers
. The game will be played December 31 in front of a national audience on ESPN
. It is Clemson's 7th appearance in the bowl, tying NC State for most appearances in the game. The Clemson Tigers enter the post-season ranked 15th nationally, while Auburn comes in 22nd. The game is particularly notable as it was Walter Riggs
who came to coach at Clemson from Auburn and who brought with him many traditions, including the Tiger mascot.
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
football team represented Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
in the 2007 college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season. The Tigers were led by head coach Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden
Tommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
and played their home games in Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium, Clemson
Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, popularly known as Death Valley, is home to the Clemson University Tigers, a NCAA Division I-A football team, located in Clemson, South Carolina...
.
Notable
Clemson played host to the Florida State SeminolesFlorida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
on Labor Day, Monday, September 3, 2007 in both teams' season opener. The game was played before a primetime national audience on ESPN as the only college football game in that time slot. It was only Clemson's second regular season Monday night game, the last being in 1982 against the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
.
Clemson opened its season with 3 consecutive home game victories. This is the first time that there have been 3 consecutive home games to open the season since 2003 and only the eighth time since 1923. Clemson will be playing against the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
champion Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in November and will play the 2006 Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
champion Central Michigan
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
for the first time. The 2007 season will see Clemson meeting Louisiana-Monroe and Central Michigan for the first time.
In the pre-season, incoming quarterback Willy Korn was named one of the top-10 impact freshman for 2007.
Achievements
Clemson started 4-0, including a victory in the season and conference opener over the Florida State Seminoles in the ninth "Bowden Bowl", which pits father Bobby BowdenBobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
, coaching the Seminoles, against his son, Tommy. Following their 4-0 start, Clemson gave up two losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech respectively. Following the two game losing streak, the Tigers went on to another four game winning streak. The team then finished the season with its toughest loss of the season (losing in the final seconds to Boston College, 20-17) and greatest triumph (defeating rival South Carolina 23-21 with a last-second field goal). With a record of 9-3, the Tigers received a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
.
During the September 8th game against UL-Monroe, Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper threw five touchdown passes, setting a new school record for most touchdown passes thrown in a single game, a feat he has now duplicated. He currently holds numerous school records, including touchdown passes in a season (27).
Harper need only throw for 122 yards, and leading rusher James Davis rush for 8 yards, for this to be the first Clemson team in history to have a 3,000 yard passer, 1,000 yard rusher, and 1,000 receiver (WR Aaron Kelly exceeded 1,000 for the year during game-winning drive against South Carolina).
On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Clemson had accepted a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
opposite the Southeastern Conference's
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...
. The game will be played December 31 in front of a national audience on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. It is Clemson's 7th appearance in the bowl, tying NC State for most appearances in the game. The Clemson Tigers enter the post-season ranked 15th nationally, while Auburn comes in 22nd. The game is particularly notable as it was Walter Riggs
Walter Riggs
Walter Merritt Riggs was the president of Clemson University from 1910 to 1924 and the "father of Clemson football" coaching the first football team for what was then Clemson College. Riggs graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor's of science in engineering in 1892 and was a member of...
who came to coach at Clemson from Auburn and who brought with him many traditions, including the Tiger mascot.
Schedule
Depth chart
These are the projected starters and primary backups as of 4/9/07.Coaching staff
- Tommy BowdenTommy BowdenTommy Bowden is an American football coach who served as the head coach at Clemson University from 1999 until October 13, 2008...
- Head Coach - Rob Spence - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
- Vic KoenningVic Koenning-External links:*...
- Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs - Brad ScottBrad Scott (American football)Brad Scott was the associate head coach and offensive line coach for the Clemson Tigers football team. Previously, from 1994 to 1998, he was the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks.-Career:...
- Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line - David Blackwell - Linebackers
- Andre Powell - Running Backs
- Billy Napier - Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
- Chris Rumph - Defensive Line
- Dabo SwinneyDabo SwinneyWilliam Christopher "Dabo" Swinney is the head coach of the Clemson University Tigers football team; he was previously assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.-Playing career:...
- Wide Receivers - Ron West - Outside Linebackers
- Mike Dooley - Defensive Video Graduate Assistant
- Andy Ford - Defensive Graduate Assistant
- Paul Hogan - Offensive Graduate Assistant
- Willie Simmons - Offensive Video Graduate Assistant