Boyd, 2011 Tigers pull off stunning upset
By: will-vandervort March 22, 2020

A tournament isn’t really any good unless there is an upset or two along the way. That’s why the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was coined “March Madness.” It’s known for its stunning upsets and Cinderella stories.

Clemson fans picked an upset Sunday in the second round of Clemson Football’s March Madness Tournament on TCI.

In the East Region Sunday evening, the fans voted the 2011 Tigers, the No. 6 seed, past the 1939 team, which was the No. 3 seed. The 2011 Tigers rallied in the last hour to knock off the 1939 squad with 51 percent of the vote.

The vote was a back-and-forth affair all day.

Of course, the 2011 Tigers (10-4) were Dabo Swinney’s first ACC Championship team. They were also the first Clemson team to win the ACC in 20 years, as well as being the first team at Clemson to win 10 games in a season in 21 years.

Behind Tajh Boyd’s 3,828 yards and 38 total touchdowns, Clemson went to its first ever BCS game that year after beating No. 3 Virginia Tech, 38-10, in the ACC Championship Game. Boyd was named as the game’s MVP.

Besides Boyd, the 2011 squad also had future pro receivers in Deandre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins on the team. Watkins caught 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns that year to set a freshman record that still stands today, while Hopkins hauled in 72 passes for 978 yards and 5 touchdowns.

All-American tight end, and Mackey Award winner, Dwayne Allen caught 50 passes for 598 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. Allen also played in the NFL. The 2011 team finished No. 22 in the final AP Poll.

The 1939 team (9-1) was one of the more historic teams in Clemson history. Banks McFadden was an All-American on the 1939 team, which was Clemson’s first bowl team. Those Tigers also won the school’s first bowl game with a 6-3 victory over Boston College in the 1940 Cotton Bowl.

They finished the year ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll, the first Clemson team to finish a season ranked in a national poll.

The 2011 Tigers now advance to the Sweet 16 Round of the tournament, where they will have Steve Fuller and the 1978 Tigers. The 1978 ACC Champions, easily got by Clemson’s first ever ACC Champions, the 1956 Tigers, by winning 95 percent of the votes.

The only other close vote on Sunday came in the South Region where the 1987 Tigers held off the 1983 team. The 1987 team, led by ACC Player of the Year Michael Dean Perry, garnered 57 percent of the vote to advance to the Sweet 16.

They will face Homer Jordan and the 1981 National Champions next Friday. The 1981 Tigers easily advanced by crushing the 1993 team with 97 percent of the votes.

Below are the Sweet 16 games for this coming Thursday and Friday, as well as Sunday’s results from the second round of Clemson Football’s March Madness on TCI. If you would like to comment and participate, visit our message board thread, it is free to sign up.

We encourage you to follow and vote on Twitter this coming Thursday when we continue the tournament with the Sweet 16 Round. The polls to vote will be posted Thursday morning just before noon and they will be open all day.

Sweet 16 Games (Thursday’s schedule):

West Region:
No. 1 2018 (15-0) vs. No. 4 1988 (10-2)
No. 2 1950 (9-0-1) vs. No. 3 2013 (11-2)

Midwest Region:
No. 1 2019 (14-1) vs. No. 4 2012 (11-2)
No. 2 2015 (14-1) vs. No. 3 2017 (12-2)

Sweet 16 Games (Friday’s schedule):

East Region:
No. 1 2016 (14-1) vs. No. 5 1982 (9-1-1)
No. 2 1978 (11-1) vs. No. 6 2011 (10-4)

South Region:
No. 1 1981 (12-0) vs. No. 4 1987 (10-2)
No. 2 1948 (11-0) vs. No. 3 1900 (6-0)

Sunday’s Second Round Results

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