“They’re Not Gonna Keep Them Off the Field Tonight”: A Vintage Clemson Saturday

“They’re not gonna keep them off the field tonight.”
That’s a quote I found myself telling a Clemson staffer Saturday night as the Tigers were wrapping up their win at home vs. Florida State. Of course, what I meant was that the fans would rush the field before they were allowed to — thanks to those new ACC regulations. And that’s exactly what they did.

Saturday just felt good. It felt good for a lot of reasons, but mostly because the Tigers finally notched a win inside Death Valley. This team absolutely needed that one under its belt. They’ve been mentally beaten down for weeks, but on Saturday, they answered the call when FSU came up to bat in the second half with the game still within reach.

Another thing I caught myself saying: “There aren’t too many 3–5 teams out there with a crowd like that.” And that’s the truth. It’s proof that Clemson fans show up — no matter what. The night carried the energy of a traditional Clemson–Florida State showdown, the kind that used to define the ACC in its glory days.

As the Tigers turn the page to this week, they can’t afford to get caught up in what happened last Saturday. They have to stay locked in. Still, they might need a little help when Friday night rolls around in Louisville. The Cardinals will be ready — and even though Clemson fell to them last year, I can promise you this game has been circled. That’s more of a Clemson brand thing than a record deal, as the Tigers now sit at 4–5 with no lofty expectations hanging over the rest of the year.

There were some interesting coaching wrinkles I noticed Saturday — and as other Clemson beats have reported, Tom Allen’s son was on the field in a support role helping with the defense. I won’t dive into who I think will be fired, but I can almost promise changes will most certainly be made after the season. No matter how the rest of this year unfolds, I’d bet Dabo Swinney is already lining up major shifts within his program.

Dabo knows this team better than anyone. He knows they might be a bit softer between the ears right now, so he understands he can’t press too hard. And he hasn’t. He’s been more loving, more relaxed, and just trying to have fun — something we all saw pregame when he was out there dancing and singing with his team.

Saturday, overall, felt like a vintage Clemson day. Brent Venables was on the sidelines. The fans poured onto the field the moment the clock hit zero. And the Tigers walked away with a home win against the Noles.

Saturday was needed for these guys — badly. Now, it’s up to them to start stacking days.