1985 Clemson Tigers football team

American college football season

1985 Clemson Tigers football

Independence Bowl, L 13–20 vs. Minnesota

Conference| Atlantic Coast Conference
Record| 6–6 (4–3 ACC)
Head coach|

* Danny Ford (8th season)

Offensive coordinator| Nelson Stokley (6th season)
Captain| Steve Berlin, Steve Reese
Home stadium| Memorial Stadium

Seasons

<- 1984

1986 ->

1985 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 18 Maryland $  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 19 Georgia Tech | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 1
Virginia | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Clemson | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 6  | - | 0
North Carolina | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Duke | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
NC State | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Wake Forest | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1985 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its eighth season under head coach Danny Ford, the team compiled a 6–6 record (4–3 against conference opponents), tied for third place in the ACC, lost to Minnesota in the 1985 Independence Bowl, and outscored opponents by a total of 244 to 222.[1][2] The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Steve Berlin and Steve Reese were the team captains. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Rodney Williams with 772 passing yards, Kenny Flowers with 1,200 rushing yards and 78 points scored (13 touchdowns), and Terrance Roulhac with 533 receiving yards.[3]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

September 14| 1:00 p.m.| at Virginia Tech*|

* Lane Stadium
* Blacksburg, VA

| | W 20–17| 31,000| [4]
September 21| 3:30 p.m.| Georgia*|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC (rivalry)

| CBS| L 13–20| 80,473| [5]
September 28| 1:00 p.m.| Georgia Tech|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC (rivalry)

| | L 3–14| 79,309| [6]
October 5| 7:30 p.m.| at Kentucky*|

* Commonwealth Stadium
* Lexington, KY

| | L 7–26| 58,230| [7]
October 12| 12:20 p.m.| Virginia|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| Raycom| W 27–24| 79,110| [8]
October 19| 1:30 p.m.| at Duke|

* Wallace Wade Stadium
* Durham, NC

| | W 21–9| 31,800| [9]
October 26| 1:00 p.m.| NC State|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC (Textile Bowl)

| | W 39–10| 72,316| [10]
November 2| 1:00 p.m.| Wake Forest|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| | W 26–10| 71,179| [11]
November 9| 12:20 p.m.| at North Carolina|

* Kenan Memorial Stadium
* Chapel Hill, NC

| Raycom| L 20–21| 50,000| [12]
November 16| 2:30 p.m.| Maryland|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| CBS| L 31–34| 78,037| [13]
November 23 | 1:30 p.m.| at South Carolina*|

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

| | W 24–17| 75,026| [14]
December 21| | vs. Minnesota*|

* Independence Stadium
* Shreveport, LA (Independence Bowl)

| Mizlou| L 13–20| 42,800| [15]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* All times are in Eastern time

[16]

## Personnel

[edit]

1985 Clemson Tigers football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

QB | `` | Randy Anderson
WR | `` | Shelton Boyer
WR | `` | Pat Charleston
WR | `` | Gary Cooper
OL | `` | Frank Deiulis
RB | `` | Stacey Driver
RB | `` | Terrence Flagler
RB | `` | Kenny Flowers
WR | `` | Keith Jennings
RB | `` | Tracy Johnson
RB | `` | Chris Lancaster
OL | `` | Jeff Lytton
OL | `` | Wes Mann
OL | `` | Eric Nix
OL | `` | John Phillips
RB | `` | Rod Quick
OL | `` | Steve Reese (C)
TE | `` | Jim Riggs
WR | `` | Terrence Roulhac
RB | `` | George Smith
RB | `` | Richard Smith
OL | `` | John Watson
WR | `` | Ray Williams
QB | `13` | Rodney Williams | Fr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

DL | `` | Steve Berlin (C)
DL | `` | Lawrence Brunson
DB | `` | Kenny Danforth
DL | `` | Mark Drag
LB | `` | James Earle
DB | `` | Delton Hall
DB | `` | A.J. Johnson
DL | `` | Terence Mack
DL | `` | Dwayne Meadows
DL | `` | Michael Dean Perry
DL | `` | Brian Raber
DB | `` | Matt Riggs
LB | `` | Henry Walls
LB | `` | Keith Williams
DB | `` | Perry Williams
DB | `` | Donnell Woodford
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

P | `` | Andy Newell
K | `` | Adubarie Otorubio
K | `` | David Treadwell
LS | `` | Brian Hammond

Head coach

* Danny Ford

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Nelson Stokley

* * *

Legend

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

* Injured
* Redshirt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
2. ^ "1985 Clemson Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "1985 Clemson Tigers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Second-chance kick lifts Clemson". Anderson Independent-Mail. September 15, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Georgia scores 17 in the 4th to nip Tigers". Florence Morning News. September 22, 1985. Retrieved November 4, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Georgia Tech whips error-prone Clemson". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 29, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ Jerry Tipton (October 6, 1985). "Cats kick clumsy Clemson 26-7". Lexington Herald-Leader. pp. C1, C6 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Clemson edges Virginia 27–24". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 13, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Clemson gets 21–12 win, rest at Duke". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 20, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Tigers finally learn Foed lesson of ball control, post 39–10 win". The Times and Democrat. October 27, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Flowers leads Clemson to victory over Wake Forest". The Daily Advertiser. November 3, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Clemson's mastery of UNC ends". The Greenville News. November 10, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Terps top Tigers on Plocki's FG". Durham Morning Herald. November 17, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ Mike Hunt (November 24, 1985). "Tigers gain bowl berth over USC". The Greenville News. pp. 1C, 4C - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "Gophers drop Clemson for a 10 count". The Shreveport Times. December 22, 1985. Retrieved January 31, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1985". Clemson University. 1985. p. 150. Retrieved November 10, 2023.

* 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
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
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* 1913
* 1914
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* 1916
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* 1918
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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