CLEMSON, S.C. — Today’s game between Clemson and Louisville will be a special one, as Clemson’s Athletic Department honors the Armed Forces with its annual Military Appreciation Game at Memorial Stadium.

Clemson, formally founded as Clemson Agricultural College in November 1889, was originally a military school, reflecting a belief at the time that a military atmosphere produced the highest academic excellence.

Beginning with the first graduating class of 1896, more than 10,000 Clemson men and women have served in the armed forces. Throughout the decades, Clemson’s military heritage has remained, even as the university transitioned to a coeducational civilian institution in 1955.

Saturday’s game against Louisville will be Clemson’s 29th Military Appreciation Day. The history of the special day dates to 1994 when Clemson had a special flyover for the Clemson vs. Georgia Tech game on Nov. 12, just one day after Veterans Day.

The flyover of four F-16s from Shaw Air Force Base during pregame was the highlight of the celebration that day. Clemson has celebrated its military history every year during games held in November or when Clemson plays host to a school with its own military heritage.

The Tigers (8-1, 6-0 ACC) don purple uniforms for the Military Appreciation Day game in reverence to the Purple Heart, the oldest United States military decoration.

General George Washington awarded the first purple-colored, heart-shaped badges to soldiers who fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Clemson has a 24-4 record in the previous 28 Military Appreciation Day games. The Tigers have won 14 such games in a row, with the last loss coming against Virginia Tech in 2007.

Here are a few things you need to know about today’s game:

Opponent: Louisville (6-3)

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.

Television: ESPN

Latest Line: Clemson minus-7.0

All-Time Series: Clemson leads 7-0

Games at Clemson: Clemson leads 3-0

Games at Notre Dame: Clemson leads 4-0

Neutral Site: N/A

Last Meeting: Clemson won 30-24, 2021

Streak: Clemson, seven

What to Watch for This Week:

  • Clemson attempting to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division outright. The Tigers are already guaranteed to represent the division in the ACC Championship Game by virtue of holding head-to-head tiebreakers in the event of identical conference records.
  • Clemson attempting to win in its first eight games against a school for the second time all-time, joining Clemson’s wins in the first 29 games of its all-time series with Virginia.
  • Clemson entering the game averaging 40.6 points per game against Louisville in seven all-time meetings, Clemson’s highest all-time scoring average against an opponent presently in a Power Five conference.
  • Clemson attempting to win its 39th consecutive home game to extend the longest home winning streak in ACC history. No member of Clemson’s roster has lost a home game at Clemson in their careers.
  • Clemson (38) attempting to tie the 2005- 11 Oklahoma Sooners (39) for the ninth-longest home winning streak in FBS history.
  • Clemson attempting to add to its national-best 57-1 record at home in the College Football Playoff era (since 2014).
  • Clemson attempting to win a 10th consecutive game against conference opponents, dating to last season. It would mark Clemson’s fifth conference winning streak of 10 or more games since the ACC’s founding in 1953.
  • Clemson attempting to earn its 100th victory against Power Five opponents since 2013. Clemson’s 99 victories in that span against Power Five teams are the most in the country.
  • Clemson is attempting to improve to 30-7 following a loss under Dabo Swinney, including season openers following a loss in the previous season finale. Clemson has not lost back-to-back games in the same season since November 2011.
  • Clemson attempting to play a 150th consecutive game since losing back-to-back games in a single season. Clemson’s 149-game streak dating to 2011 is the nation’s longest active streak.
  • Head Coach Dabo Swinney (158) attempting to pull within one victory of Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops (160) for the second-most victories in the first 15 seasons of a head coaching career in FBS history.
  • Clemson entering the game as one of only two programs in the country not to have allowed a play from scrimmage of 50 yards or more this season (UCLA). Clemson is the only program in the country to have not allowed a 30-plus-yard run or a 50-plus-yard pass.

—Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications