Death Valley debate Reignites as โคClemson โand LSU Prepare to Clash
BATON ROUGE, La. – The rivalry โbetween Clemson and LSU extends beyond the โฃgridiron and into โa decades-long debate: who truly owns theโค moniker “Death Valley”?โ As the Tigers of both schools prepare to faceโ off in โขMemorial Stadium -โ Clemson’s home – on September 21, 2024, the question of rightful claim โtoโ the intimidating nickname is once again at the forefront.
The origins of “Death โขvalley” โฃare often misattributed to filmmaker Jordan โฃpeele, โขwho used the nameโค in a โฃcomedic sketch referencing LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Though, the nickname’s roots trace back to aโข 1959 Sugar Bowl victory forโ LSU over Clemson. Following a 7-0 win that securedโค the national championship for the Tigers, LSUโ fans began proclaimingโ “death” over the team hailing from Clemson’s โขhome, then โขsimply known โas Memorial Stadium.
Whileโ LSUโ fans initially popularized theโ term, it โdidn’t fully stick until the 1988 “Earthquake Game.” โLSU’s 7-6 upsetโค of No. 4 Auburn generated such a โraucous atmosphere that it “triggered a seismograph in a geoscience lab 1,000 feet away โขfrom the stadium,” according to ESPN.
Clemson’s claim restsโค onโค its long-standing home-field advantage at Memorial stadium, which opened in 1952. Entering theโ 2025 โseason, the Tigers boast a 345-106-7 (.761) all-time recordโ within its walls. Under head coach Dabo Swinney, who took the helm in 2008, Clemson has goneโ 99-12 at home.
LSU’s Tiger โStadium,opened in 1924,presents an equally formidable record. โขThe Tigers are 457-151-18 (.744) all-time at home, and aโข remarkable 147-24 since 2000. Notably,โ LSU is 360-111-3 all-time in night โคgames atโ Tiger Stadium, adding toโ its intimidatingโค reputation. Since โBrian Kelly’s โarrival in 2022, โคLSU hasโ gone 19-2 โatโ home, including โa perfect 7-0 โrecord in 2023 with SECโค victoriesโข over florida, โฃTexas โคA&M, Auburn, andโ Arkansas.
Ultimately, theโ “true” Death Valley remains a โฃmatter ofโ passionate debate. Both โClemson and LSUโ have built compelling cases through decades of dominant home performances โand fervent fan support. The upcoming matchupโ will โundoubtedly add another โขchapter toโค this storiedโข rivalry andโ the ongoing questโฃ to claim the name.