Clemson football trending as Tigers host Charleston Southern on Military Appreciation Day
Clemson (3-2) returns from a bye to host Charleston Southern (3-3) at noon ET on ACC Network, and the game has not been played yet.
Why Clemson football is trending today
Clemson football is trending because the Tigers are actually playing. After an open date last week, Clemson (3-2) is back home to face Charleston Southern (3-3) at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. Kickoff is set for noon ET on ACC Network.
Here is what matters right now: as of this writing, the game has not been played. There is no score, no final, nothing settled. What is known is the schedule, the broadcast plan and the setup around it. What happens next is simple. The two teams play at noon, and a result follows.
What we know about the matchup
This is an FBS team hosting an FCS team, and it fits into a pattern for Clemson. The program has played 1,347 games all-time, and 300 of them, or 22.3 percent, have come against teams from South Carolina. Clemson carries a 221-66-13 record all-time against in-state opponents and has a winning mark against all 12 Palmetto State programs it has ever faced. Charleston Southern is one of those 12.
The ACC Network broadcast team for Saturday is Roxy Bernstein, Dave Clawson and Madison Hock. Clemson's own radio call airs on the Clemson Athletic Network with Don Munson, Tim Bourret and Jeff Scott on the mic.
A Tiger Illustrated preview on On3 pointed out that games against FCS opponents carry less weight on paper than they used to, but argued that Clemson's season to date makes Saturday's details worth watching anyway. That is one outlet's framing ahead of kickoff, not a result.
The scene at Memorial Stadium
Saturday is Military Appreciation Day at Clemson, presented by Wear Purple. The athletic department built the whole morning around it. Parking lots open at 6 a.m., and Fan Fest at the Stacks opens at 8 a.m. with a free performance from DJ and producer Nate C the Chief.
The Tiger Tailgate Show runs at 9 a.m. from the Southwest Concourse, Tiger Walk happens at 9:50 a.m. in the Rogers Family Lot, and gates open at 10 a.m. along with Operation Half Off, which knocks food and non-alcoholic drinks down 50 percent at the concession stands until 11 a.m. The Tiger Band plays a concert at the Amphitheater at 10:30 a.m. before parading to the stadium at 11 a.m., setting up the noon kickoff.
What happens next
Nothing about this game is decided yet. The Tigers and Buccaneers take the field at noon ET, and until that clock hits zero, every number in this story is a schedule detail, not a result. Check back once the game is final for what actually happened on the field.
Facts per Clemson University Athletics, On3. Opinion is the taproom's.