Tiger Board Logo

Donor's Den General Leaderboards TNET coins™ POTD Hall of Fame Map FAQ
GIVE AN AWARD
Use your TNET coins™ to grant this post a special award!

W
50
Big Brain
90
Love it!
100
Cheers
100
Helpful
100
Made Me Smile
100
Great Idea!
150
Mind Blown
150
Caring
200
Flammable
200
Hear ye, hear ye
200
Bravo
250
Nom Nom Nom
250
Take My Coins
500
Ooo, Shiny!
700
Treasured Post!
1000

YOUR BALANCE
On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3
storage This topic has been archived - replies are not allowed.
Archives - Tiger Boards Archive
add New Topic
Replies: 13
| visibility 1

On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 11:05 AM

September 19, 1981
Death Valley, SC

Tigers turn Dawgs over in ’81
By Will Vandervort.




The offensive game plan for quarterback Homer Jordan and company was easy in 1981 – “don’t give the ball away deep in your own territory and you’ll be fine.”

So that’s what they did. Though the Clemson offense had its moments during the Tigers’ run to the 1981 National Championship—like scoring 82 points against Wake Forest—for the most part they kept things pretty close to the vest.

“We weren’t flashy or this and that, but whatever we had to do to get the job done, we did it,” Jordan said.

And the defense did the rest. The Clemson defense allowed just 10 touchdowns all season, with only three teams—Wake Forest, South Carolina and Nebraska—scoring more than 10 points. And only Wake Forest scored more than 15 points in a game.



The Tigers led the ACC in total defense, scoring defense, rush defense and interceptions. They finished the year second in the nation in scoring defense, seventh in rushing defense and eighth in total defense. The most impressive and important stat of all, and it goes back to the offense’s job was – they finished seventh in the nation in turnover margin.

“I can remember, if the offense lost the ball we would tell them that we are going to get the ball back,” said former linebacker Jeff Davis, who led Clemson in tackles and was an All-American in 1981. “I can remember that most of the time, that is exactly what happened.”

The Tigers forced 41 turnovers in 1981, which is still a school record for a single season.

“Our defense made plays,” Jordan said. “We had a solid defense. They made plays when they needed to.”

At no time in 1981 did the Tigers make more plays in one game than it did at home against defending national champion Georgia. The Clemson defense forced nine turnovers that afternoon, including five interceptions off Bulldogs’ quarterback Buck Belue in a 13-3 victory.


Georgia was ranked No. 4 in the country at the time, and it turned out to be the only regular season loss for 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Hershel Walker.

“We knew Belue had a tendency to make the wrong decisions if pressured,” former Clemson safety and All-American Terry Kinard said. “We got a great pass rush and he was throwing the ball high.”

In the second quarter, Belue threw high, again and strong safety Tim Childress intercepted the pass to set up the game’s only touchdown, an eight-yard pass from Jordan to wide receiver Perry Tuttle. Donald Igwebuike booted two field goals of 39 and 29 yards to counter Georgia kicker Kevin Butler’s 40-yard kick in the third quarter to cap the win.

Walker rushed for 111 yards that afternoon, but they did not come easy. Though he averaged nearly four yards a carry, he was surrounded by the Clemson defense all day. He fumbled the ball three times and lost two of them. Arguably college football’s greatest running back said the 63,500 fans in the sold out Memorial Stadium played a big part in why he played so bad.

It was the only time he played in Death Valley.

“I came in here knowing it would be loud and that Clemson would hit hard,” Walker said. “But to me, the noise was the biggest factor. I know I did not concentrate as well because of it.”

Clemson held Georgia’s powerful offense to 255 total yards, while Jordan and company did just enough on offense to get the job done. The Clemson quarterback led the Tigers with 59 yards rushing, while completing 11 of 18 passes for 135 yards. More importantly, he did not throw an interception.

“All I had to do was take care of the football and manage the game,” Jordan said.

He let the defense do the rest.

“This was probably the biggest game we are going to play this year,” Davis said afterwards. “When we lost to Georgia last year, we kind of lost our morale. It hurt us the rest of the season.

“We know the rest of the games are important, but we had to win this one.”

The win propelled the Tigers into the national rankings the next week at No. 19 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 18 in the Coaches’ Poll. From there, Clemson had the confidence it needed to make a run at a perfect season.

And though the Georgia victory had the Tigers flying high, Davis said if it wasn’t for head coach Danny Ford and his staff keeping the players grounded, things might have been different in 1981.

“The coaching staff did a good job of keeping us focused, keeping our goals out there and understanding that some great things can happen if we keep on playing the way we had been playing,” he said. “I think that’s why we won the national championship because we never really bought into the hype.

“We never bought into how great we were. It was more important for us to prove how great we were game in and game out.”

2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-15yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Best Is The Standard


Re: On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 11:08 AM

That was a great day. The whole student section just sat in their seats for about 15-20 minutes after the game, basking in it. Didn't want to leave. But then the beer called.

2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-05yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

That was my Fr. year***


Sep 19, 2019, 11:12 AM



2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-20yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.


I think we were pretty good that whole year.


Sep 19, 2019, 11:17 AM

:) :) :) :) :)

2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-10yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up


Not too bad...


Sep 19, 2019, 11:26 AM

for a team with a 6-5 record (2-4 in conference) in 1980 that was unranked to start the 81 season.

2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-20yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.


Good times. I was enrolled at Tri-County Tech that Fall


Sep 19, 2019, 12:57 PM

and planning to transfer to Clemson by 1983. I know I will get some slack for this comment but Tri-County Tech and Clemson worked very close together in those years. Sometimes it had a feel that you were a sorta an extended Clemson student back then..... Anyway I went to all the home games that season plus the UNC game in Chapel Hill and the Orange Bowl. Miss those times! ;)

flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Re: On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 1:15 PM

I was at that game. Ms midland and my first date!

flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Re: On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 1:23 PM

A fantastic game. I sat on The Hill as a freshman. It was incredible!

Go Tigers!!!

2024 orange level memberbadge-donor-05yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

i was on the hill for that game


Sep 19, 2019, 5:44 PM

a dawg got in a fight behind us, once everyone cleared out there were empty liquor bottles everywhere

military_donation.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Re: On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 3:00 PM

It should be noted that Heisman winners Herschel Walker nor George Rogers ever saw the end zone against Clemson.

2024 purple level memberbadge-donor-05yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

DANG! that team had a great defense. Really fun to watch.***


Sep 19, 2019, 3:15 PM



flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Re: On This Date: 1981 Clemson- 13 (4)Georgia- 3


Sep 19, 2019, 5:12 PM

Great win

GO TIGERS

2024 white level memberbadge-donor-20yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Today is the 77th anniversary of the 1st game played in DV***


Sep 19, 2019, 8:21 PM



badge-donor-05yr.jpg flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up


that was my senior, well last year, at clemson. I was dating


Sep 19, 2019, 8:37 PM

an immigrant from new york at the time and this was her first time experiencing a big time college football game. oh what fun times!

flag link military_tech thumb_downthumb_up

Replies: 13
| visibility 1
Archives - Tiger Boards Archive
add New Topic