Fresh off a resounding 21-13 victory over Kentucky in the 2009 Music City Bowl, the Clemson Tigers will look to build on that momentum. And not only football, but a variety of other sports have been instrumental in pushing the standards high at Clemson. Clemson Tigers is a collective name for the 19 varsity teams of Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. These include 10 men's & 9 women's teams, with basketball, soccer, tennis, track & field (indoor & outdoor), cross-country and swimming & diving being common to both. Football, baseball & golf are exclusive men's sports while volleyball & rowing are exclusive to the women's Clemson Tigers teams. The Clemson Tigers play at NCAA Division I level & are also a part of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference since it was formed in 1953. The Tigers deep-seated interstate rivalry with the University of South Carolina is legendary and has produced numerous cliffhangers over the years. The unbridled passion manifests itself with huge sales of Clemson Tigers tickets, & the seasoned predators will be pouncing for the kill once more this season.

Clemson as a city spans two separate counties of South Carolina: mostly Pickens County & a small part in Anderson County. It thus forms part of both the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley & the Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Areas. A small city, Clemson's major publicity is from its university & the Clemson Tigers teams. Clemson's historical rivalry with University of South Carolina Gamecocks is not a simple athletics animosity. The two institutions, separated by only 132 miles, have been constantly bickering since the 1880s on their polar opposite charters. The term Tigers started when former Auburn football coach Walter Riggs came to (then) Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina in 1896. Riggs was an ardent Princeton Tigers supporter & stylized the new team on those lines. The facilities at Clemson are top notch. Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium is home of the Tigers football team, & the ominous nickname "Death Valley" says it all for visiting teams. The 80,000 capacity stadium, currently expanding with the WestZone addition, is bathed with orange supporters with Clemson Tigers tickets who reach unbelievable noise levels when Tiger Rag is played during the team's run down the hill & rubbing of Howard's Rock for luck; traditions that have kept the fiery spirit alive. The Littlejohn Coliseum hosts the university's basketball teams. The 10,000 capacity arena is a famously tough away fixture for teams because of the loud Tigers Band & the ferocious Tigers fans underneath the baskets. Riggs Field hosts the men's & women's soccer teams. 5600 fans can fit into baseball's picturesque fan-friendly Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Women's rowing holds home events on nearby Lake Hartwell. Walker Golf Course & Hoke Sloan Tennis Center are additional facilities.

Terry Don Philips is the current athletics director for Clemson University. Each separate Tigers sport is then coached by its selective coach, who completes drills & tryouts for new team members who fulfill selection criteria. Dabo Swinney is the football coach, while Brad Brownell is in his first year in charge of the basketball team. Jack Leggett is the baseball head coach, having reached his 17th year with six conference titles. Famous football players include Super Bowl winning Defensive End Nick Eason, & Hall of Fame coaches Jess Neely, Frank Howard & John Heisman. Banks McFadden is regarded by many as the greatest Clemson athlete ever, winning titles in basketball, football & track. Tigers soccer players include US central defender Oguchi Onyewu & Canadian midfielder Paul Stalteri. 2009 US Open Golf Champion Lucas Glover is also a former Clemson Tigers player.

Clemson Tigers football team enjoys the most fanfare. The 1981 NCAA Championship is its finest moment, as Danny Ford coached the Tigers to an undefeated season. The baseball team has 14 Conference Championships with 12 appearances in the College World Series. Soccer has landed the Clemson Tigers two National Championships: in 1984 & 1987. 1979 saw them finish as runner up. Clemson Tigers golf boasts one of the country's most successful programs. The university's fourth overall team championship & first in golf was won in 2003. It came on the back of Charles Warren's individual championship in 1997.

Although not as highly-rated as its illustrious counterparts, Clemson University boasts the perfect facilities to give sports a major fillip in the region. The passion is evident, especially in interstate derby matches. The brilliant spectacle can be witnessed by fans with Clemson Tigers tickets.