CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson comes out of its open date this week with a home game against Charleston Southern on Saturday, a matchup that doubles as the Tigers annual Military Appreciation Day game at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers sit at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play. Head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters the bye arrived at a welcome time and that the focus this week stays on Clemson cleaning up its own play rather than reacting to each opponent.
Charleston Southern is the only FCS team on the Clemson schedule this season. The Buccaneers are 3-3 under fourth-year head coach Gabe Giardina, a former Alabama kicker who walked on with the Crimson Tide while Swinney was an assistant there overseeing the walk-on program. Swinney noted the Buccaneers have won three of their last four, including a 49-39 win over South Carolina State last weekend.
Swinney also spoke about what the military game means to the program, calling it a point of pride and saying the university goes beyond the minimum to honor its history. Clemson served as a military college through World War II, and ROTC programs remain active on campus.
Kickoff is set for noon Saturday on the ACC Network. Memorial Stadium, known as Death Valley, holds 81,500 fans.
