CLEMSON – The last time Clemson started 8-0 in a season was in 2011 when the Tigers climbed all the way to No. 6 in the national polls after a shootout win over a school from North Carolina.
The Tigers had just defeated North Carolina 59-38 in Death Valley and were already dreaming BCS dreams, but those dreams were shattered on a chilly night in Bobby Dodd Stadium in a 31-17 loss to Georgia Tech. Clemson lost four of its last six games – a win over Wake Forest to clinch the division title and a win over Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game were the lone bright spots – and the season ended with a demoralizing blowout loss to West Virginia in the Orange Bowl.