If you’re refreshing your feed right now wondering who won the Clemson football game today, I’ve got some news that might be a little disappointing if you were looking for a final score.
Basically, Clemson didn't play today.
It's January 16, 2026. The Tigers actually wrapped up their 2025-2026 campaign a few weeks ago. If you missed it, their final outing was a tough one—a 22-10 loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl back on December 27. It wasn't the high-flying offensive masterpiece fans hoped for at Yankee Stadium, but that’s the reality of where things stand right now.
The Clemson Football Season Recap: What You Missed
Honestly, the 2025 season was a bit of a roller coaster. You've got a team that finished with a 7-6 record. For most programs, that’s a decent year. For Clemson? It’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Dabo Swinney’s squad had some massive highs, like that 28-14 win over South Carolina to close out the regular season, but the consistency just wasn't there.
One of the biggest talking points was the Duke game. Losing 46-45 in a homecoming heartbreaker is the kind of thing that keeps coaches up at night. They also dropped games to LSU and Georgia Tech early on, which really put them behind the 8-ball for the ACC race.
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Here is how the back half of their season shook out:
- W 24-10 vs Florida State (A classic defensive battle)
- W 20-19 at Louisville (Absolute nail-biter)
- W 45-10 vs Furman (Total dominance)
- W 28-14 at South Carolina (Keeping the rivalry trophy)
- L 10-22 vs Penn State (The Pinstripe Bowl finale)
Is There Any Clemson Sports Action Today?
While the football pads are in storage, Littlejohn Coliseum is still rocking. If you're looking for Tigers to cheer for right now, you should be looking at the basketball court or the tennis center.
The men's basketball team has been on a tear. They just beat Boston College 74-50 on January 13. Nick Davidson went absolutely nuclear in that game, scoring 21 straight points in the first half. They’re currently 15-3 and ranked No. 22 in the country. They play Miami tomorrow, January 17, so keep an eye on that.
Also, today (Friday, Jan 16), the Men’s Tennis team is taking on LSU at 5:00 PM at home, and the Women’s Tennis team had a match against Mercer this morning.
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Looking Ahead: The 2026 Clemson Football Schedule
You’re probably already thinking about the fall. I get it. We all are.
The 2026 season opener is going to be a massive test. Clemson travels to Baton Rouge to face LSU on September 5, 2026. It’s a "Death Valley vs. Death Valley" showdown that will likely set the tone for the entire year.
After that, the Tigers return home to Memorial Stadium on September 12 to play Georgia Southern. The rest of the schedule includes the usual ACC suspects like Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina, though the exact dates for many of those conference games are still being finalized by the ACC.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About the Transfer Portal
There’s a lot of noise about how Clemson handles the "new era" of college football. Dabo has been criticized for not using the transfer portal as aggressively as, say, Florida State or Ole Miss. However, if you look at the 2025 roster, you'll see they are starting to sprinkle in talent where it makes sense—like Nick Davidson on the basketball side.
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The limitation for Clemson isn't just "Dabo being Dabo." It's about finding guys who fit the culture and the academic rigors. Whether that strategy holds up in 2026 is the million-dollar question.
Actionable Steps for Clemson Fans Today
Since there isn't a football game to watch, here is how you can stay prepared for the upcoming season:
- Check the Basketball Standings: The Tigers are 5-0 in the ACC right now. If you want to see a winning Clemson team, tune into the Miami game tomorrow at 2:15 PM on The CW.
- Review the Recruiting Class: National Signing Day and the early window have passed, but the 2026 class is already taking shape. Keep an eye on 247Sports or Rivals for updates on local South Carolina prospects committing to the Tigers.
- Plan for LSU: If you’re planning on traveling to Baton Rouge in September, start looking at flights and hotels now. That game will be one of the most expensive tickets of the opening weekend.
- Follow the Tennis Results: Check the official Clemson Tigers website tonight for the final score against LSU in tennis.
The wait for football is long, but the Tigers are far from quiet. We’ll be right back at it in September.