Many Clemson fans would point to the South Carolina Gamecocks if asked their least favorite college football team. With first matchups dating back to the late 1800s, decades of hard-hitting encounters have forged this in-state battle.
But here’s the kicker: Clemson and South Carolina are not in the same conference. So while Dabo Swinney’s team is surely counting the days until they can get their paws on their SEC neighbor, the question remains: who is Clemson’s fiercest rival in the ACC?
Florida State Seminoles:
In the last 15 years, a tandem at the top has dominated the ACC: Clemson and Florida State. 13 of the previous 15 ACC titles belong to either the Tigers, with nine championships, or the Seminoles, with four.
Barring FSU’s nightmare 2-10 campaign last season that placed them at the bottom of the ACC, the Seminoles have been viewed as Clemson’s fiercest ACC opponent for some time now.
Although Clemson is 8-2 against the Seminoles in their last 10 meetings, Florida State has proven it can pull out gritty wins. Their previous two victories over the Tigers have both come in overtime, once at Doak Campbell Stadium in 2014 and again at Memorial Stadium in 2023.
While Clemson has recently assumed dominance, Florida State leads the all-time series 21-16, leaving more work to be done.
NC State Wolfpack:
Dating back to 1899, this history-riddled matchup has 91 renditions with Clemson owning 61 and NC State owning 30. Since establishing itself as a football powerhouse, Clemson has been on the right side of this matchup for the better part of 20 years.
Yet, Clemson’s last two trips to Raleigh have ended in defeat and a quiet bus ride home.
However, when it comes to unpacking the Wolfpack’s case as Clemson’s primary conference rival, strong evidence exists off the football field. As a sort of jack-of-all-trades, NC State shows up to play in every setting.
In basketball, the Wolfpack made a Final Four run in 2024 as a No. 11 seed. Before then, their last Final Four appearance came in 1983 when the Wolfpack miraculously won the national championship as a No. 6 seed.
NC State has also proven itself formidable on the soccer field, baseball field and tennis courts.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:
In Atlanta, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets boast 50 all-time wins to Clemson’s 31, but the Tigers refuse to let it hang over their heads, as they’ve won the last nine meetings.
Georgia Tech’s last ACC title came in 2009, courtesy of a 39-34 win over the Tigers in Tampa, Florida.
The Yellow Jackets may not be the first team circled in red ink on the Tigers’ calendar, but they are always capable of a sting.
Honorable Mentions
Wake Forest Demon Deacons:
The Tigers’ 16-game winning streak over the Demon Deacons is their longest active streak. While perhaps not a threat in football, Wake Forest has proven to be a demonic-level threat in soccer and tennis.
University of North Carolina Tar Heels:
While sometimes one-sided, North Carolina and Clemson matchups have always been entertaining, and that was before Bill Belichick was the Tar Heel coach. In 2022, the two teams met in the ACC Championship as Clemson claimed their 21st ACC title.
The blue-blooded nature of the Tar Heels makes for fireworks on the basketball court. It may have been a down year last season for UNC basketball, but the Tigers’ win at Littlejohn Coliseum is one that Clemson fans celebrate without an asterisk.
With their first two football matchups against LSU and Troy, respectively, Clemson will have to wait a few weeks until it can sink their teeth into any ACC competition. Starting Sept. 13 in Atlanta, Georgia, against the Yellow Jackets, the Tigers have eight straight ACC matchups over two months.
To round it out is a season finale in Columbia against the Gamecocks. So grab your popcorn and some orange and purple; a new beginning is on the horizon.
