There’s no shortage of great college football traditions, but Clemson has a way of making game day feel like something bigger than the three-plus hours between kickoff and the final whistle.
It’s the sea of orange around campus, with generations of Tigers fans coming together to celebrate their team.
It’s the traditions that have been passed down over the decades, connecting today’s Clemson fans with the players and supporters who came before them.
And then there’s Death Valley itself.
From the moment the team buses arrive at The Hill to the final notes of “Tiger Rag,” game day at Clemson is filled with sights and sounds that are unique to the Tigers.
For first-time visitors, it can be a lot to take in. Where else can you watch a team arrive by bus, see players touch Howard’s Rock and then watch them charge down The Hill in one of college football’s most iconic entrances, all alongside over 80,000 of your closest friends?
Whether you’re a lifelong Tiger or making your first trip to Death Valley, here are five experiences that belong on every Clemson football fan’s bucket list:
See the team buses arrive at The Hill
After warmups, the team gathers in its dressing room under the West end zone stands. About 10 minutes before kickoff, players and coaches board three buses, travel behind the North stands to the East end zone and disembark at the top of The Hill behind Howard’s Rock.
@cbssports The iconic Clemson entrance in Death Valley. (🎥: ESPN) #clemsonfootball #clemson #collegefootball ♬ original sound – CBS Sports
Watch the Tigers run down The Hill
After the buses arrive, the team make its way to Howard’s Rock, touching it for good luck before a cannon fires and the Tigers charge down The Hill and onto the field. It’s a quick, chaotic burst of tradition and energy — Clemson calls it “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.”
First Friday Parade
Held the day before the first home game since 1974, the First Friday Parade marks the unofficial start of a new season. Held along Highway 93, the tradition brings students, fans and alumni together with Tiger Band performances and a gathering of student organizations.
Sing ‘Tiger Rag’
The song has been part of Clemson football since 1942, when student band director Dean Ross found the music sheet in Atlanta and took it to campus. “The song that shakes the Southland” is a staple of game days, with the Tiger Band performing it in more than 15 arrangements.
Spend stamped $2 bills
The tradition of spending Tiger Paw-stamped $2 bills on road trips dates to 1977, when fans used them in Atlanta to demonstrate the economic impact they brought to Georgia Tech’s home city. Today, the bills remain a unique calling card for Tigers fans wherever they travel.
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.