1977 Clemson Tigers football team

The 1977 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In its first season under head coach Charley Pell, the team compiled an 8–3–1 record (4–1–1 against conference opponents), finished second in the ACC, lost to Pittsburgh in the 1977 Gator Bowl, was ranked No. 19 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a total of 228 to 163.[1][2] The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

1977 Clemson Tigers football
Gator Bowl, L 3–34 vs. Pittsburgh
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
APNo. 19
Record8–3–1 (4–1–1 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJimmye Laycock (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorMickey Andrews (1st season)
CaptainSteve Fuller, Steve Godfrey, Randy Scott
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 17 North Carolina $ 5 0 1 8 3 1
No. 19 Clemson 4 1 1 8 3 1
NC State 4 2 0 8 4 0
Maryland 4 2 0 8 4 0
Duke 2 4 0 5 6 0
Virginia 1 5 0 1 9 1
Wake Forest 0 6 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Steve Fuller, Steve Godfrey, and Randy Scott were the team captains. The team's statistical leaders included Steve Fuller with 1,497 passing yards, Warren Ratchford with 616 rushing yards, Jerry Butler with 760 receiving yards, and Lester Brown with 54 points (9 touchdowns).[3]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 101:00 p.m. No. 10 MarylandL 14–2134,650[4]
September 171:30 p.m.at No. 17 Georgia*W 7–655,100[5]
September 241:30 p.m.at Georgia Tech*W 31–1450,116[6]
October 11:30 p.m.at Virginia Tech*W 31–1334,000[7]
October 81:00 p.m.Virginia 
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
W 31–049,830[8]
October 151:30 p.m.at DukeW 17–1126,500[9]
October 221:00 p.m.NC StateNo. 20
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC (rivalry)
W 7–350,304[10]
October 291:30 p.m.Wake ForestNo. 16
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
W 26–040,445–40,600[11]
November 51:30 p.m.at North CarolinaNo. 13T 13–1350,500[12]
November 121:00 p.m. No. 5 Notre Dame*No. 15
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Clemson, SC
L 17–2153,467–54,189[13]
November 191:30 p.m.at South Carolina*No. 15W 31–2756,410[14]
December 30vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh *No. 11L 3–3472,289[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[16][17]

Roster

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1977 Clemson Tigers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OL 64 Jimmy Wells Jr
OL 55 Jeff Bostic So
WR 16 Jerry Butler Jr
RB 22 Ken Callicutt Sr
WR 30 Dwight Clark Jr
QB 4 Steve Fuller (C) Jr
OL 53 Steve Kenney Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DT 65 Archie Reese Sr
DT 83 Jim Stuckey So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Roster

Game summaries

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South Carolina

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1 234Total
• Clemson 10 777 31
South Carolina 0 0720 27

[18]

References

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  1. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "1977 Clemson Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1977 Clemson Tigers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Maryland uses reserves to stave off Clemson bid". Pensacola News Journal. September 11, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Clemson stuns 'Dogs, 7–6". The Tampa Tribune. September 18, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Clemson rips Georgia Tech 31–14". The Charlotte Observer. September 25, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Clemson clobbers VPI for 3rd straight victory". The Charlotte Observer. October 2, 1977. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Tigers shutout Virginia". Florence Morning News. October 9, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Interception leads Tigers over Duke". The Sun-News. October 16, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Late TD lifts Clemson over 'Pack". The Danville Register. October 23, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Clemson crushes Deacons". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 30, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Tar Heels play for tie and get it, 13–13". The Roanoke Times. November 6, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Irish break Clemson 'death' grip". The Indianapolis Star. November 13, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Ed Rowland (November 20, 1977). "Clemson Dashes USC Comeback Try, 31–27". The Times and Democrat. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Hammond's record falls as Pitt mauls Clemson". Tallahassee Democrat. December 31, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1977". Clemson University. 1977. p. 115. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  17. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1978". Clemson University. 1978. p. 1. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  18. ^ "Fuller's TD Pass Rallies Clemson." Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 20.