2019 Clemson Tigers football team

2019 Clemson Tigers football
ACC champion
ACC Atlantic Division champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal),
W 29–23 vs. Ohio State
CFP National Championship, L 25–42 vs. LSU
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionAtlantic Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
APNo. 2
Record14–1 (8–0 ACC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorTony Elliott (5th season)
Co-offensive coordinatorJeff Scott (5th season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorBrent Venables (8th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 2018
2020 →
2019 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 2 Clemson xy$^   8 0     14 1  
Louisville   5 3     8 5  
Wake Forest   4 4     8 5  
Florida State   4 4     6 7  
Boston College   4 4     6 7  
Syracuse   2 6     5 7  
NC State   1 7     4 8  
Coastal Division
Virginia x   6 2     9 5  
Virginia Tech   5 3     8 5  
Miami (FL)   4 4     6 7  
Pittsburgh   4 4     8 5  
North Carolina   4 4     7 6  
Duke   3 5     5 7  
Georgia Tech   2 6     3 9  
Championship: Clemson 62, Virginia 17
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2019 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, in his 11th full year. The Tigers competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Entering the season as defending national champions, Clemson began the year ranked first in the polls. Despite securing another undefeated regular season and its fifth consecutive conference title after defeating Virginia in the ACC Championship Game, Clemson fell to third in the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season, owing to its comparatively weak strength of schedule. They were selected to the Fiesta Bowl to play second-seeded Ohio State, where the Tigers won by a score of 29–23. Clemson advanced to the National Championship Game, where they lost to LSU, 42–25, ending their winning streak at 29 games and finishing the season at 14–1.

Clemson was led by sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who led the ACC with 3,665 passing yards and 45 total touchdowns. Running back Travis Etienne was named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, leading the conference with 19 rushing touchdowns and 7.8 yards per carry, and finishing in second with 1,614 rushing yards. Offensive lineman John Simpson was named a consensus All-American, and he was joined on the first-team All-ACC by Lawrence, Etienne, wide receiver Tee Higgins, and offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum. On defense, the team was led by All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year linebacker Isaiah Simmons. He was joined on the first-team All-ACC by cornerback A. J. Terrell and safety Tanner Muse.