Series History: Notre Dame vs. Clemson

A look at the football history between Notre Dame and Clemson

Notre Dame and Clemson are set to meet on Dec. 19 in the ACC Championship, and it will be the sixth time the two schools have met on the football field.

SERIES HISTORY

Clemson leads the all-time series 3-2. Three of the previous five matchups came during the last six seasons.

2020 - Notre Dame 47, Clemson 40 (Home)
2018 - Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3 (Cotton Bowl)
2015 - Clemson 24, Notre Dame 22 (Away)
1979 - Clemson 16, Notre Dame 10 (Home)
1977 - Notre Dame 21, Clemson 17 (Away)

NOTABLE GAMES

2020 - #4 Notre Dame knocked off #1 Clemson in double overtime. It was a game of runs, as the Irish jumped out to a 23-10 lead when linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah returned a fumble for a touchdown.

The Tigers fought back and took a late fourth quarter lead, and it seemed like Notre Dame was finished when it failed to convert a 4th-and-7, but the Irish defense forced a quick three and out. Notre Dame got the ball at its own 9-yard line with just 1:41 left in the game.

A 53-yard pass from quarterback Ian Book to Avery Davis set up a 4-yard Book to Davis connection for a score, tying the game and sending it to overtime.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, and the Irish took a 47-40 lead in the second overtime. Notre Dame sacked Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei on back-to-back snaps, putting the Tigers in a 4th-and-24 situation it could not convert, and the Irish earned the win.

2018 - This was Notre Dame's first trip to the College Football Playoff. It was a defensive struggle early, and the Tigers held a 9-3 lead with just under two minutes left in the first half. After Notre Dame All-American cornerback Julian Love went out with an injury,  Clemson took advantage and scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes to break the game open.

Clemson out-gained Notre Dame 538-248 in the victory, and the Tigers earned the win on the back of four big plays that made the game much more of a one-sided affair than it was.

2015 - In a rain-soaked game, Clemson jumped all over Notre Dame, taking its first possession of the game 64 yards down the field for a score. After a shanked punt from Notre Dame, Clemson took over at the Irish 40 yards line and put it in the end zone four plays later.

Notre Dame fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, and Clemson promptly went 29 yards in three plays for a score, as quarterback Deshaun Watson ran it in from 21 yards out to make it a 21-3 game. Notre Dame fumbled on its very next possession and the Tigers were poised to put the game away, but Irish cornerback Cole Luke picked Watson off in the end zone.

Notre Dame eventually heated up in the fourth quarter when quarterback DeShone Kizer hit running back CJ Prosise up the right sideline on a wheel route that went for a 56-yard score. The Irish went for a 2-point conversion and it failed, which proved impactful later.

Kizer ran it in from three yards out to make it a 24-16 game with 9:03 left in the game. He threw a pick on Notre Dame's next possession, and receiver Chris Brown fumbled at the 4-yard line on the following possession. Notre Dame got one last crack at it and Kizer hit Torii Hunter Jr. for a 1-yard score to make it 24-22. Not going for an extra point on the first score of the fourth quarter meant Notre Dame had to go for two again, and it failed.

1979 - Notre Dame was coming off a 40-18 loss at Tennessee, and the unranked Irish hosted the #14 Tigers late in the season. Notre Dame came out with green jerseys, but it didn't work, as the Irish blew a 10-0 halftime lead, losing 16-10.

1977 - The first matchup between the two programs pitted the #5 Fighting Irish against the #15 Tigers. Notre Dame fell behind 17-7, but three Clemson fumbles resulted in a pair of Irish scores as they rallied for a 21-17 win.

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