There are too many traditions and history behind Clemson’s Memorial Stadium not to allow it to hold the true title of Death Valley.
It’s got history behind it. Former Presbyterian head coach Lonnie McMillian coined the title after losing so many times to the team in the 1940s, and many teams have continued the tradition since.
Clemson had the moniker first, with LSU later establishing its stadium with the same name in the 1950s.
Compared to LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Clemson has a little bit more of an edge. The Tigers have won 76.1% of games at its Death Valley, while LSU has only won 72.7% of games in Tiger Stadium. Yes, both teams have won a majority of their games, but the Bayou Bengals maintain lower stats overall while playing many more night games, which attests to their quality.
The traditions of the game mean more in Tigertown. While the excitement behind a hype video and running out in between the band is amusing, Clemson takes it to another level.
Clemson’s hype videos have an alumnus, like Brian Dawkins or Ben Boulware, getting you fired up with highlight montages finished with Frank Howard’s iconic quote of “If you’re not going to give 110%, then keep your filthy hands off my rock.” It’s the suspense of the buses meeting right under the jumbotron and waiting to see an energetic Dabo Swinney run down the hill into the stadium with the team following behind.
Let’s also not forget that Clemson’s Memorial Stadium is the only one of two with an actual grass hill inside. You can’t be called Death Valley without having a real hill in your stadium.
It’s called “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football” for a reason. Touching Howard’s Rock before racing down the hill while chants of each letter in Clemson echo across the Upstate. If you’re a student or home fan, it’s something you look forward to every game.
For visiting fans, it’s a moment in college football that you will never forget.
While LSU’s Tiger Stadium holds over 100,000 fans per game, a packed Memorial Stadium can be just as loud. Games like Clemson’s win over Notre Dame in 2015 and Louisville in 2016 saw Tiger fans make an impact with penalties and showing out in the craziest of conditions. It has created an iconic history that fans will never forget, some even remembering exactly where they were when the games occurred.
Death Valley has tradition. It coveted the name first. It has some of the most iconic rituals that college football is known for. Why wouldn’t Clemson’s Memorial Stadium be the real Death Valley?
You tell me on Aug. 30.
