1956 Clemson Tigers football team
The 1956 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson College in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1956 NCAA University Division football season. In its 17th season under head coach Frank Howard, the team compiled a 7–2–2 record (4–0–1 against conference opponents), won the ACC championship, was ranked No. 19 in the final AP Poll, lost to Colorado in the 1957 Orange Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 167 to 101.[2][3] The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
1956 Clemson Tigers football | |
---|---|
ACC champion | |
Orange Bowl, L 21–27 to Colorado | |
Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference |
Ranking | |
AP | No. 19 |
1956 record | 7–2–2 (4–0–1 ACC) |
Head coach | Frank Howard (17th season) |
Captain | Charlie Bussey |
Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
1956 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 19 Clemson $ | 4 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Duke | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maryland | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North Carolina | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NC State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wake Forest | 1 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Virginia | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rankings from AP Poll[1] |
Quarterback Charlie Bussey was the team captain. The team's statistical leaders included Bussey with 330 passing yards and left halfback Joel Wells with 803 rushing yards and 48 points (8 touchdowns).[4]
Four Clemson players were selected by the Associated Press or the United Press to the first or second teams of the 1956 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team: Joel Wells (AP-1, UP-1); Charlie Bussey (AP-1, UP-2); guard John Grdijan (AP-2, UP-1); and tackle Dick Maraza (AP-2).[5][6] Four Clemson players were also named to the 1956 All-South Carolina football team: Joel Wells, guards John Grdijan and Earle Greene, and tackle Billy Hudson.[7]
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 22 | Presbyterian* | W 27–7 | ||||||
September 29 | at No. 19 Florida* |
| T 20–20 | |||||
October 6 | at NC State | W 13–7 | ||||||
October 13 | at Wake Forest | W 17–0 | ||||||
October 25 | at South Carolina | No. 20 |
| W 7–0 | 35,000 | [8] | ||
November 3 | No. 16 VPI* | No. 13 |
| W 21–6 | ||||
November 10 | at Maryland | No. 11 |
| T 6–6 | ||||
November 16 | at No. 8 Miami (FL)* | No. 13 |
| L 0–21 | ||||
November 24 | Virginia |
| W 7–0 | |||||
December 1 | Furman* |
| W 28–7 | |||||
January 1, 1957 | vs. No. 20 Colorado* | No. 19 |
| L 21–27 | ||||
|
References
- "1956 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- "1956 Clemson Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 2, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Clemson 1960 Football Media Guide". Clemson University. 1960. pp. 40–42. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- "Bill Barnes Tops All-ACC Team Voting". The Bee: Danville, Virginia. November 28, 1956. p. 3.
- Alvin B. Webb Jr.date=December 6, 1956. "Barnes Leads All-ACC Team; Duke Places Three On Squad". Statesville Record and Landmark. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1960 Clemson Football Media Guide, p. 23.
- Jim Anderson (October 26, 1956). "Tigers Repel Late Drive To Whip Gamecocks, 7-0". The Greenville News. pp. 1, 15 – via Newspapers.com.