Clemson gets its ACC schedule underway Saturday with a noon kickoff against Bill Belichick’s UNC at Memorial Stadium, and this one comes with a little relief for the Tigers after last week’s weather-delayed start against Georgia Southern. Clemson is 1-1 after a 22-7 win, while UNC arrives at 2-0 after beating TCU in Dublin in Week 0 and then handling ETSU last week.
The Tigers will also hand the ball to a new starter. Tait Reynolds, who played most of last week’s game at quarterback, will make his first career start against the Tar Heels.
The game will air nationally on ESPN in Week 3 of the 2026 college football season. Bob Wischusen and Louis Riddick will be on the call from the booth at Clemson Memorial Stadium, with Stormy Buonantony reporting from the sidelines. For streaming, Fubo is listed among the options and includes a free trial for new subscribers.
Clemson and UNC are set for Saturday, Sept. 19, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
Clemson’s upcoming schedule: Sept. 5: at LSU, L 51-10
Sept. 12: Georgia Southern, W 22-7
Sept. 19: UNC, 12 p.m. on ESPN
Sept. 25: at Cal, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN
Oct.
3: Miami (FL), TBD
Oct.
10: OPEN DATE
Oct.
17: Charleston Southern, TBD
Oct.
24: Virginia Tech, TBD
Oct. 31: at Florida State, TBD
Nov. 7: at Syracuse, TBD
Nov.
14: Georgia Tech, TBD
Nov. 20: at Duke, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Nov. 28: South Carolina, TBD
Dec. 5: ACC Championship Game, Charlotte
In Other News...
Dabo Swinney's Contract Leaves Clemson Facing An Awkward Reality
Dabo Swinneys financial footing at Clemson remains one of the biggest storylines around the program as the Tigers navigate another season under a coach who is locked in through 2031. The 10-year, $115 million deal he signed in September 2022 still places him among the sports elite earners, and his 2025 salary of $11.5 million makes him the ACCs highest-paid coach and one of the top-paid coaches in college football.
The arrangement also underscores how complicated any future conversation around Swinney has become for Clemson. His contract includes a buyout clause, with an even steeper penalty if he were to leave for Alabama, along with performance-based bonuses that keep the deal loaded with incentives and protections. For the Tigers, it is a reminder that the programs relationship with its coach is as financially committed as ever, even as expectations around results continue to follow him everywhere. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Pushed Dabo Swinney's Future Back Into The Spotlight
Clemsons uneven start has put Dabo Swinney back under the kind of scrutiny that only comes when the Tigers are not meeting the programs usual standard. With North Carolina ahead and fan frustration building, the conversation around the sideline has shifted from fixing early-season issues to the larger question of how long the current direction can hold if the results do not improve.
Swinneys status is not in immediate peril, and there have been no official decisions reported, but the noise is getting louder because of how steep the expectations are in Clemson. Every rough outing now feeds the same discussion about where this season is headed and how much patience remains if the struggles continue. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Fans Stuck Waiting As A One-Score Fight Hangs In Limbo
A tense Week 3 matchup at Memorial Stadium turned into a long wait Saturday night when lightning in the area forced Clemson and North Carolina off the field in the fourth quarter. The Tigers had spent much of the evening in a one-score fight, and the stoppage left fans, players and coaches scrambling for cover as severe weather rolled through the area.
What made the pause especially frustrating for Clemson was the timing, with the game still hanging in the balance and North Carolina pressing deep in Tigers territory. With the weather not expected to clear anytime soon, the delay could stretch for hours, leaving the finish to a game that had already turned into a grinder very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]