Clemson is a national champion again, beating Alabama in the fourth College Football Playoff meeting between the two.
Find the all-time series history below. The teams first met in 1900 — and will now have met in the College Football Playoff in each of the last four years.
Alabama-Clemson: All-time history, most recent meetings, scores
Alabama has dominated the series historically, going 14-5-0 in the 19 meetings. The Tide and the Tigers first met in 1900.
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Date | Winner | Score | Loser | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 29, 1900 | Clemson | 35-0 | Alabama | Birmingham, Ala. |
Oct. 8, 1904 | Clemson | 18-0 | Alabama | Birmingham, Ala. |
Oct. 25, 1905 | Clemson | 25-0 | Alabama | Columbia, S.C. |
Oct. 16, 1909 | Alabama | 3-0 | Clemson | Birmingham, Ala. |
Oct. 11, 1913 | Alabama | 20-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Nov. 14, 1931 | Alabama | 74-7 | Clemson | Montgomery, Ala. |
Nov. 10, 1934 | Alabama | 40-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Nov. 9, 1935 | Alabama | 33-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Oct. 3, 1936 | Alabama | 32-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Oct. 8, 1966 | Alabama | 26-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Oct. 28, 1967 | Alabama | 13-10 | Clemson | Clemson, S.C. |
Oct. 26, 1968 | Alabama | 21-14 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Oct. 25, 1969 | Alabama | 38-13 | Clemson | Clemson, S.C. |
Sept. 20, 1975 | Alabama | 56-0 | Clemson | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
Aug. 30, 2008 | Alabama | 34-10 | Clemson | Atlanta, Ga. |
Jan. 11, 2016 (CFP National Championship) |
Alabama | 45-40 | Clemson | Glendale, Ariz. |
Jan. 9, 2017 (CFP National Championship) |
Clemson | 35-31 | Alabama | Tampa, Fla. |
Jan. 1, 2018 (Sugar Bowl-CFP semifinal) |
Alabama | 24-6 | Clemson | New Orleans, La. |
Jan. 7, 2019 (CFP National Championship) |
Clemson | 44-16 | Alabama | Santa Clara, Calif. |
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Alabama-Clemson: Series history
Though the Crimson Tide have 14 wins in 19 meetings with Clemson, the Tigers were the dominant force at the start.
In the first three meetings between the southern powers, Clemson outscored Alabama by a combined 78-0 (35-0 in 1900, 18-0 in 1904 and 25-0 in 1905).
However, after going 3-for-3 against Alabama, Clemson didn't beat Alabama again until 2017, as the Tide won 13 in a row.
In fact, in Alabama's first seven wins during the stretch, the Tide shut out the Tigers in six of seven meetings. The one time Clemson scored...it lost 74-7 in 1931.
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However, after Alabama beat Clemson 56-0 in Tuscaloosa in 1975, they didn't play each other again until Aug. 30, 2008, when Alabama opened the season with a 34-10 rout. Later that season, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden resigned. The Tigers started the season ranked in the top 10 but were only 3-3 when he resigned.
In stepped an assistant coach: Dabo Swinney.
Swinney went 4-3 the rest of the season and went on to face 'Bama for the College Football Playoff national title for the 2015 season, a 45-40 win by the Tide.
Clemson then ended the winless drought against Alabama by winning in a thriller, 35-31, on a late touchdown pass by Deshaun Watson to Hunter Renfrow to win the CFP national title.
Last season, Clemson and Alabama had another rematch, though this time in a CFP semifinal. Alabama dominated, 24-6.
But Clemson returned to the top next season, routing Nick Saban and the Tide, 44-16, to win the national championship. Star freshman QB Trevor Lawrence passed for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns without an interception as the Tigers won their third national title.