2007 Clemson Tigers football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=2007
Team=Clemson Tigers


Conference=Atlantic Coast Conference
Division=Atlantic
ShortConference=ACC
CoachRank= 22
APRank= 21
BCSRank=16
Record=9-4
ConfRecord=5-3
HeadCoach=Tommy Bowden
OffCoach=Rob Spence
DefCoach=Vic Koenning
OScheme=Various
DScheme=4-3
Stadium=Memorial Stadium (c. 81,473, grass)
Champion=
BowlTourney=Chick-fil-A Bowl
BowlTourneyResult= L 23-20The 2007 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2007 college football season. The Tigers are led by head coach Tommy Bowden and play their home games in Memorial Stadium.

Notable

Clemson played host to the Florida State Seminoles on Labor Day, Monday, September 3, 2007 in both teams' season opener. The game was played before a primetime national audience on ESPN as the only college football game in that time slot.cite web | title= 2007 Clemson Football Schedule Announced | url=http://www.tigernet.com/view/story.do?id=6457 | accessdate=February 1 | accessyear=2007 ] It was only Clemson's second regular season Monday night game, the last being in 1982 against the University of Georgia. The game was played before an audience of over 89,000 spectators.

Clemson opened its season with 3 consecutive home game victories. This is the first time that there have been 3 consecutive home games to open the season since 2003 and only the eighth time since 1923. Clemson will be playing against the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference champion Wake Forest in November and will play the 2006 Mid-American Conference champion Central Michigan for the first time. The 2007 season will see Clemson meeting Louisiana-Monroe and Central Michigan for the first time.

In the pre-season, incoming quarterback Willy Korn was named one of the top-10 impact freshman for 2007. Mark Schlabach, [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=2912876 Illinois' Benn, ND's Clausen impact newcomers for 2007] , ESPN.com, June 22, 2007.]

Achievements

Clemson started 4-0, including a victory in the season and conference opener over the Florida State Seminoles in the ninth "Bowden Bowl", which pits father Bobby Bowden, coaching the Seminoles, against his son, Tommy. Following their 4-0 start, Clemson gave up two losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech respectively. Following the two game losing streak, the Tigers went on to another four game winning streak. The team then finished the season with its toughest loss of the season (losing in the final seconds to Boston College, 20-17) and greatest triumph (defeating rival South Carolina 23-21 with a last-second field goal). With a record of 9-3, the Tigers received a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl.

During the September 8th game against UL-Monroe, Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper threw five touchdown passes, setting a new school record for most touchdown passes thrown in a single game, a feat he has now duplicated. He currently holds numerous school records, including touchdown passes in a season (27).

Harper need only throw for 122 yards, and leading rusher James Davis rush for 8 yards, for this to be the first Clemson team in history to have a 3,000 yard passer, 1,000 yard rusher, and 1,000 receiver (WR Aaron Kelly exceeded 1,000 for the year during game-winning drive against South Carolina).

On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Clemson had accepted a bid to play in the 2007 Chick-fil-a Bowl opposite the Southeastern Conference's Auburn Tigers. The game will be played December 31 in front of a national audience on ESPN. It is Clemson's 7th appearance in the bowl, tying NC State for most appearances in the game. The Clemson Tigers enter the post-season ranked 15th nationally, while Auburn comes in 22nd. The game is particularly notable as it was Walter Riggs who came to coach at Clemson from Auburn and who brought with him many traditions, including the Tiger mascot. [ [http://www.peachbowl.com Chick-fil-A Bowl ] ]

Schedule

CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 3
time = 8:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Florida State
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename = Bowden Bowl
tv = ESPN
score = 24-18
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 8
time = 1:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 25
opponent = cfb link|year=2007|team=Louisiana Warhawks|school=University of Louisiana at Monroe|title=Louisiana Monroe
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 49-26
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 15
time = 1:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 20
opponent = cfb link|year=2007|team=Furman Paladins|school=Furman University|title=Furman
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv = ESPN GamePlan
score = 38-10
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 22
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 15
opponent = cfb link|year=2007|team=NC State Wolfpack|school=North Carolina State University|title=NC State
opprank =
site_stadium = Carter-Finley Stadium
site_cityst = Raleigh, NC
gamename = Textile Bowl
tv = Raycom Sports
score = 42-20
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 29
time = 3:30 p.m.
w/l = l
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 13
opponent = Georgia Tech
opprank =
site_stadium = Bobby Dodd Stadium
site_cityst = Atlanta, GA
gamename =
tv = ABC
score = 13-3
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 6
time = 6:00 p.m.
w/l = l
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 22
opponent = Virginia Tech
opprank = 14
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv = ESPN
score = 41-23
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 20
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming = yes
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = cfb link|year=2007|team=Central Michigan Chippewas|school=Central Michigan University|title=Central Michigan
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv = ESPNU
score = 70-14
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 27
time = 3:30 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Maryland
opprank =
site_stadium = Byrd Stadium
site_cityst = College Park, MD
gamename =
tv = ABC
score = 30-17
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 3
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 24
opponent = cfb link|year=2007|team=Duke Blue Devils|school=Duke University|title=Duke
opprank =
site_stadium = Wallace Wade Stadium
site_cityst = Durham, NC
gamename =
tv = ESPN Gameplan
score = 47-10
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 10
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 20
opponent = Wake Forest
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv = ESPN2
score = 44-10
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 17
time = 7:45 p.m.
w/l = l
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 16
opponent = Boston College
opprank = 18
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv = ESPN2
score = 20-17
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 24
time = 7:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 22
opponent = South Carolina
opprank =
site_stadium = Williams-Brice Stadium
site_cityst = Columbia, SC
gamename = Battle for the Palmetto State
tv = ESPN2
score = 23-21
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = December 31
time = 7:45 p.m.
w/l = l
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral = yes
rank = 16
opponent = Auburn
opprank = 21
site_stadium = Georgia Dome
site_cityst = Atlanta, GA
gamename = Chick-fil-A Bowl
tv = ESPN
score = 23-20
overtime = ot

Depth chart

These are the projected starters and primary backups as of 4/9/07.

Coaching staff

*Tommy Bowden - Head Coach
*Rob Spence - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
*Vic Koenning - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
*Brad Scott - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line
*David Blackwell - Linebackers
*Andre Powell - Running Backs
*Billy Napier - Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
*Chris Rumph - Defensive Line
*Dabo Swinney - Wide Receivers
*Ron West - Outside Linebackers
*Mike Dooley - Defensive Video Graduate Assistant
*Andy Ford - Defensive Graduate Assistant
*Paul Hogan - Offensive Graduate Assistant
*Willie Simmons - Offensive Video Graduate Assistant

References