Clemson's 29-game win streak by the numbers: Tigers would join all-time dynasties with CFP win

Bill Bender

Clemson's 29-game win streak by the numbers: Tigers would join all-time dynasties with CFP win image

No. 3 Clemson is looking to win its second straight national championship when it meets No. 1 LSU in the College Football Playoff championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Monday.  

The Tigers also have a chance to extend the nation's longest win streak to 30 games. It's a remarkable run led by coach Dabo Swinney and sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence – who is 25-0 as a starter with the Tigers. 

Here is a look at the dominance behind that winning streak and the exclusive company Clemson could join if its wins Monday.

MORE: 10 fun facts you didn't know about Dabo Swinney

When was Clemson's last loss?  

Alabama beat Clemson 24-6 on Jan. 1, 2018, in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The Crimson Tide went on to win the national championship that season.  

Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant was 18 of 36 for 124 yards and two interceptions in the loss after leading the Tigers to an undefeated record in the regular season.  

How dominant is the 29-game win streak?  

Freshman Trevor Lawrence took over for Bryant after the fourth game of the 2018 season and extended that win streak to 29 games. Clemson averages 44.8 points per game and allows just 12.3 points per game in that stretch.  

The Tigers have beaten those opponents by an average margin of 32.4 points per game. Ten of Clemson's victories have been by more than 40 points per game.  

Which ranked teams has Clemson beat?  

The Tigers are 7-0 against Top 25 teams through the 29-game win streak, and that includes four regular-season games and three College Football Playoff semifinals.  

Here is a look at those games:  

DATE RANKED OPPONENT
Oct. 20, 2018 Beat No. 16 N.C. State 41-7
Nov. 10, 2018 Beat No. 17 Boston College 27-7
Dec. 29, 2018 Beat No. 3 Notre Dame 30-3
Jan. 7, 2019 Beat No. 1 Alabama 44-16
Sept. 7, 2019 Beat No. 12 Texas A&M 24-10
Dec. 7, 2019 Beat No. 23 Virginia 62-17
Dec. 28, 2019 Beat No. 2 Ohio State 29-23

What was Clemson's closest call?  

Clemson has had four games decided by 10 points or less in the 29-game win streak.  

On Sept. 29, 2018, the Tigers rallied to beat Syracuse 27-23 in a game where Lawrence was knocked out with a concussion in his first start. Clemson beat Texas A&M 28-26 three weeks earlier that season.  

This season, the closest call was a 21-20 victory against North Carolina on Sept. 28, 2019. The Tar Heels missed a potential game-winning two-point conversion in the final minutes.  

Clemson rallied from a 16-0 deficit to beat Ohio State 29-23 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 28, 2019.  

Who is the last team to win 30 straight games?  

USC won 34 straight games from 2003-05, but most of that streak has been vacated by the NCAA. Miami also won 34 straight games from 2000-02 before losing to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Those were the longest streaks of the BCS era.  

Florida State took a 29-game win streak into the first CFP semifinal before losing to Oregon.  

This is the prestigious group of teams Clemson could join by winning 30 straight games. Can they make a run at Oklahoma's storied 47-game win streak?  

TEAM STREAK YEARS
Oklahoma 47 1953-57
Washington 40 1908-14
Yale 37 1887-89
Yale 37 1890-93
Toledo 35 1969-71
Penn 34 1896-98
Miami 34 2000-02
Penn 31 1896-98
Pitt 31 1914-18
Oklahoma 31 1948-50
Texas 30 1968-70

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.