CHARLOTTE — It is Game Day at Bank of America Stadium where the No. 3 Clemson looks to win a six consecutive ACC Championship in Charlotte.

The Tigers hope to take down No. 2 Notre Dame and earn another trip to the College Football Playoff today.

Location: Bank of America Stadium

Kickoff:  4 p.m.

Television:  ABC

Announcers:  Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor

2020 Record: Clemson  9-1,  Notre Dame 10-0

ACC Record: Clemson 8-1, Notre Dame 9-0

Series History: Clemson leads series 3-2

Last Meeting:  Notre Dame won 47-40 on November 7, 2020

CLEMSON SEEKS SIXTH STRAIGHT ACC TITLE IN REMATCH VS. NOTRE DAME SATURDAY

Clemson will attempt to earn a record sixth consecutive outright conference title on Saturday, Dec. 19, when the Tigers face Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game.  Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.

Even in the most unusual year of college football in the modern era, the ACC Championship Game matchup played true to recent form, matching a traditional Atlantic Division power against a new challenger.

While Clemson and Florida State have represented the Atlantic Division every year since 2013, eight different challengers have served as ACC Championship Game opponents in that span. All seven Coastal Division
teams earned one appearance between 2013-19, and this season, Notre Dame earned a berth in its first year in the league. Between Clemson and Florida State, Atlantic Division representatives have won nine straight ACC titles, including each of the last five by Clemson.

This week, Clemson will attempt to become the first team in any active conference to win six consecutive titles outright (Note: Oklahoma can also accomplish the feat with a win in the Big 12 Championship Game).  Florida State earned at least a share of nine consecutive ACC titles from 1992-2000 but never earned more than three consecutive titles outright. The last team
presently in the Power Five to win at least six straight outright titles was Oklahoma (12 from 1948-59) as part of the now-dissolved Big 8 Conference.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

– Clemson, which is already the first team in ACC history to win five consecutive outright titles, attempting to become the first team in ACC history to win six consecutive ACC titles outright. (Note: Florida State
earned at least a share of nine consecutive ACC titles from 1992-2000 but never earned more than three consecutive titles outright.)
– Clemson attempting to become the first team in any active conference to win six consecutive outright conference titles. Clemson’s five consecutive outright titles from 2015-19 are tied with the 1971-75 Alabama Crimson Tide and 2015-19 Oklahoma Sooners for the longest streak of outright conference championships of any current conference. The last team presently in the
Power Five to win at least six straight outright titles was Oklahoma (12 from 1948-59) as part of the nowdissolved Big 8 Conference.
– Clemson attempting to become the first program to win 20 ACC titles. Since helping form the conference in 1953, Clemson leads the ACC with 19 titles all-time, including 18 outright.
– Clemson attempting to earn its 26th conference championship all-time, including four SIAA championships and two Southern Conference
championships prior to the formation of the ACC.  Clemson’s 25 conference titles across all conferences are the most of any current or former ACC member.
– Clemson attempting to improve to 7-1 all-time in ACC Championship Games.

TOP 10 HISTORY

– Saturday’s contest will represent the 24th matchup of AP Top 10 teams in Clemson history. Clemson is 13-10 all-time in games when both teams enter ranked in the Top 10 of the AP Poll.
– Eighteen of Clemson’s 23 previous all-time Top 10 matchups have come under Head Coach Dabo Swinney, with Swinney posting an 11-7 record in those contests. Danny Ford went 2-1 in three career Top 10 games, including the Orange Bowl to conclude Clemson’s 1981 national championship season. Frank Howard and Tommy Bowden each lost their lone matchup of Top 10 teams in their Clemson tenures.
– Clemson has won 10 of its last 14 games between Top 10 teams in the College Football Playoff era.

CLEMSON ACC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

Clemson has a 6-1 record in seven previous appearances in the ACC Championship Game. In its first two appearances, Clemson played a team it faced earlier that season. After five straight instances of Clemson playing a team for the first time that season in the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers will once again play a rematch in an ACC Championship Game this week for the first time since 2011.

Clemson first played in the ACC Championship Game in 2009 when Georgia Tech defeated Clemson, 39-34. Both teams rushed for over 300 yards in the game, which was the only FBS game in 2009 in which both teams had at least 300 yards rushing. It remains the only game in Clemson history in which neither team punted.

C.J. Spiller rushed for 233 yards, scored four touchdowns and had 301 all-purpose yards, all of which remain ACC Championship game records. He was named the game’s MVP, the only time a player from the losing
team has been honored.

Clemson won the title two years later with a 38-10 win over Virginia Tech in 2011. Virginia Tech was ranked third in the USA Today poll entering the game, and the victory tied for the highest-ranked team Clemson had defeated
at the time. Clemson has since broken that mark with multiple defeats of No. 2 Ohio State and No. 1 Alabama.

Tajh Boyd had three touchdown passes and one rushing to account for four of Clemson’s five touchdowns on the night in 2011, as the Tigers boasted a balanced attack that recorded 217 yards rushing and 240 yards passing.
It was Clemson’s first ACC Championship since 1991.

TCI Predictions 

Robert – Clemson 45, Notre Dame 20

Will – Clemson 34, Notre Dame 20

Gavin – Clemson 38, Notre Dame 27