1977 Clemson Tigers football team

American college football season

1977 Clemson Tigers football

Gator Bowl, L 3–34 vs. Pittsburgh

Conference| Atlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
AP| No. 19
Record| 3–6–2 (0–4–1 ACC)
Head coach|

* Charley Pell (1st season)

Offensive coordinator| Jimmye Laycock (1st season)
Defensive coordinator| Mickey Andrews (1st season)
Captain| Steve Fuller, Steve Godfrey, Randy Scott
Home stadium| Memorial Stadium

Seasons

<- 1976

1978 ->

1977 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| 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

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.

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[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

September 10 |  No. 10 Maryland| |

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| L 14–21| 44,650|
September 17| at No. 17 Georgia*| |

* Sanford Stadium
* Athens, GA (rivalry)

| W 7–6| 55,100| [4]
September 24| at Georgia Tech*| |

* Grant Field
* Atlanta, GA (rivalry)

| W 31–14| 51,116|
October 1| at Virginia Tech*| |

* Lane Stadium
* Blacksburg, VA

| W 31–13| 34,000| [5]
October 8 |  Virginia| |

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| W 31–0| 49,830|
October 15| at Duke| |

* Wallace Wade Stadium
* Durham, NC

| W 17–11| 26,500|
October 22 |  NC State| No. 20|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC (rivalry)

| W 7–3| 50,304|
October 29 |  Wake Forest| No. 16|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| W 26–0| 40,445|
November 5| at North Carolina| No. 13|

* Kenan Memorial Stadium
* Chapel Hill, NC

| T 13–13| 50,400|
November 12|  No. 5 Notre Dame*| No. 15|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| L 17–21| 54,189|
November 19| at South Carolina*| No. 15|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC (rivalry)

| W 31–27| 56,410| [6]
December 30| vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh *| No. 11|

* Gator Bowl Stadium
* Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)

| L 3–34| 72,289|

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

## Roster[edit]

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

* Charley Pell

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

* * *

Roster

## Game summaries[edit]

### South Carolina[edit]

|  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

|
|
|
|
|

• Clemson | 10 | 7| 7| 7 | 31
South Carolina | 0 | 0| 7| 20 | 27

* Date: November 19
* Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, South Carolina
* Game attendance: 56,410

| Scoring summary

1| | CLEM| Ratchford 4 yard run (Ariri kick)| CLEM 7–0
1| | CLEM| Ariri 18 yard field goal| CLEM 10–0
2| | CLEM| Brown 1 yard run (Ariri kick)| CLEM 17–0
3| | CLEM| Callicutt 52 yard run (Ariri kick)| CLEM 24–0
3| | SCAR| Clark 77 yard run (Parrish kick)| CLEM 24–7
4| | SCAR| Dorsey 11 yard run (Parrish kick)| CLEM 24–14
4| | SCAR| Dorsey 1 yard run (pass failed)| CLEM 24–20
4| | SCAR| Logan 40 yard pass from Bass (Parrish kick)| SCAR 27–24
4| :49| CLEM| Butler 20 yard pass from Fuller (Ariri kick)| CLEM 31–27

[7]

## References[edit]

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. ^ "Clemson stuns 'Dogs, 7–6". The Tampa Tribune. September 18, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Clemson clobbers VPI for 3rd straight victory". The Charlotte Observer. October 2, 1977. Retrieved December 14, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ Ed Rowland (November 20, 1977). "Clemson Dashes USC Comeback Try, 31-27". The Times and Democrat. p. 12 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Fuller's TD Pass Rallies Clemson." Palm Beach Post. 1977 Nov 20.

* v
* t
* e

Clemson Tigers football

Venues|

* Bowman Field (1900–1913)
* Riggs Field (1915–1941)
* Memorial Stadium (1942–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Alabama
* Auburn
* Boston College (O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy)
* Florida State
* Georgia
* Georgia Tech
* NC State (Textile Bowl)
* South Carolina

Culture & lore|

* History
* The Tiger
* "Tiger Rag"
* Marching band
* Clemson–South Carolina football brawl
* Safety
* The Fridge

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1896
* 1897
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number