CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson Football will return to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, for its 2024 home opener against Appalachian State. The Tigers, coming off a season-opening loss to No. 1 Georgia, will look to get back on track with an 8 p.m. ET kickoff in Death Valley. This marks the first of seven home games for Clemson this season.
The Tigers (0-1) will aim to shake off a disappointing performance against Georgia, a game that featured just 112 total plays—one of the fewest in Clemson's modern era. Head Coach Dabo Swinney’s squad will face a tough Appalachian State team that is tied for second in the nation with 74 games featuring a rushing touchdown since 2018, just behind Clemson’s 78.
Saturday’s contest will be the 123rd home opener in Clemson’s storied history. The Tigers have posted a 98-17-8 record in home openers across three different venues: Bowman Field, Riggs Field, and Memorial Stadium. They will look to add to their 53-game home streak with at least one rushing touchdown, the longest such active streak in the nation.
Under the lights, Clemson has been dominant in night games at home, boasting a 23-3 record in such contests under Swinney, including a current 20-game winning streak—the second-longest active streak in the nation. The electric atmosphere of a primetime game at Death Valley should favor the Tigers as they seek their 799th all-time win.
Appalachian State, known for its potent rushing attack, will be no pushover. The Mountaineers (1-0) are off to a strong start in their 2024 campaign and will bring plenty of confidence to Clemson. But with the Tigers just two wins away from joining the 800-win club, the home team will be determined to protect its turf and avoid an 0-2 start to the season.
Zach's Prediction: Clemson 31, Appalachian State 21.
Expect the Tigers to rebound, fueled by their home crowd and the potential of their offense, which will look to establish the run early and often. While Appalachian State should be able to keep it close with their ground game, Clemson’s defense will rise to the occasion, sealing a hard-fought victory.
Jeremy’s Prediction: Clemson 27, Appalachian State 10
In this weekend's matchup between Clemson and Appalachian State, expect the Tigers to bounce back and showcase their improvements. Clemson's defense has been solid, and I anticipate they'll contain App State’s offense, limiting them to just 10 points. On the offensive side, Clemson's running game will be key, grinding down App State’s defense, while the passing game makes crucial improvements to secure a 27-10 victory. This win would provide the Tigers with momentum as they gear up for the rest of the season.
Evan's Prediction: Clemson 31, Appalachian State 14
This weekend, expect the Tigers to bounce back, and get their first win of the season against a solid Appalachian State team. I think the first half will be a very tight contest and going into halftime it will be a one score game. However, I believe in the second half, the Tigers offense will get into a solid rhythm and start to pull away, leading to their first victory of the season.
Coles Prediction: Clemson 38, Appalachian State 10
In Clemson's home opener Saturday vs App State I expect the Tigers to come out fast on offense after last week's 34-3 blowout loss in Atlanta vs the Georgia Bulldogs. I think Quarterback Cade Klubnik comes out firing on all cylinders to help get this Clemson offense the momentum it needs going into conference play in 2 weeks. We know Clemson's defense will show up as always to limit the App State offense to just 10 Points.
