For the second straight year, Clemson will open a season on Labor Day. Clemson defeated Georgia Tech, 41-10, on Labor Day night in 2022, and this year, the Tigers will travel to Durham, N.C. to face Duke on Monday, Sept. 4.
During Clemson’s National Signing Day Show on Wednesday, Don Munson asked Dabo Swinney if he likes starting the season on Labor Day night.
Clemson’s head coach isn’t exactly thrilled about it, considering the Tigers will have two fewer days of preparation than a normal game week ahead of their home opener against Charleston Southern on Saturday, Sept. 9.
“I mean, not really,” Swinney said when asked if he likes starting the season on Labor Day night. “I mean, I’d prefer to start on Saturday night, but I didn’t get a vote. The reason I don’t like it is because we’ve got to play again on Saturday. So, there’s no coach in America that’s going to say yeah, I like having two less days of preparation. I don’t care who you’re playing, it’s hard.
“The good news is we just did it, so we’ve got a good feel for how we have to plan and prepare during camp, and how we’ve got to turn that around to get ready for Charleston Southern on a very short week. So, it’s a challenge, and then you’re going on the road again. So, it’s two years in a row on the road, Labor Day night.”
The game will mark Clemson’s fifth consecutive season opener to be played in prime time dating to its 2019 season debut against Georgia Tech, and the Tigers will once again have a national audience for the only game taking place on Labor Day night.
Clemson (11-3, 9-0 ACC in 2022), coming off its seventh ACC title in the last eight years, will travel to Duke for the first time since 2012 to face a Blue Devils team that finished 9-4 (5-3 ACC) this past season and won the Military Bowl vs. UCF in its first season under Mike Elko. It marked Duke’s first nine-win season since 2014.
“We like playing and getting started, but the short week makes it a challenge,” Swinney said. “But super excited to get it started and to open up. Duke had a heck of a year this year. What a great, unbelievable job Coach Elko did up there. It’s been a while since we’ve been up there. It’ll be a great environment and great opportunity. Right out of the gate, you’re into conference play.”
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