Written by
The ACCFOOTBALL.CO Desk
Conference Newsroom · Independent ACC coverage since 2026
The house desk of ACCFOOTBALL.CO - independent researchers tracking every ACC game, stat and storyline.
ACC History Vault
How many national championships has Clemson won?
Key takeaways
- Clemson Tigers football has won 3 national championships: 1981, 2016, 2018.
- Title seasons: 1981, 2016, 2018.
- Across the ACC, Pittsburgh (9), California (5), Miami (5), Georgia Tech (4), Clemson (3), Florida State (3), SMU (3), Stanford (2), Syracuse (1) have claimed national titles.
- All-time record in our game log (1902-2026): 798-477-44.
3 National titles
798-477-44 Record 1902-2026
20 of 45 Bowl / playoff wins
2018 (15-0) Best season
8
seasons since Clemson's last national championship 2018 national championship - Finished 15-0.
Every national title, year by year
| Year | Title | The season |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1981 national championship | Finished 12-0. |
| 2016 | 2016 national championship | Finished 14-1. |
| 2018 | 2018 national championship | Finished 15-0. |
Claimed national championships, per the program's own record book.
Clemson postseason, 1902-2026
| Season | Record | Postseason |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7-6 | Lost Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl |
| 2024 | 10-4 | Lost College Football Playoff First Round Game Presented by Allstate |
| 2023 | 9-4 | Won TaxSlayer Gator Bowl |
| 2022 | 11-3 | Lost Capital One Orange Bowl |
| 2021 | 10-3 | Won Cheez-It Bowl |
| 2020 | 10-2 | Lost Allstate Sugar Bowl - CFP Semifinal |
| 2019 | 14-1 | Lost CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRES. BY AT&T |
| 2017 | 12-2 | Lost ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL - CFP SEMIFINAL |
| 2015 | 14-1 | Lost CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PRES. BY AT&T |
| 2014 | 10-3 | Won RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL |
| 2013 | 11-2 | Won DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL |
| 2012 | 11-2 | Won Chick-fil-A BOWL |
| 2011 | 10-4 | Lost DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL |
| 2010 | 6-7 | Lost MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL |
| 2009 | 9-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 2008 | 7-6 | Lost GATOR BOWL |
| 2007 | 9-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2006 | 8-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2005 | 8-4 | Won Bowl game |
| 2003 | 9-4 | Won CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL |
| 2002 | 7-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2001 | 7-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 2000 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1999 | 6-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1997 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1996 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1995 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1993 | 9-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1991 | 9-2-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1990 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1989 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1988 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1987 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1986 | 8-2-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1985 | 6-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1979 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1978 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1977 | 8-3-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1959 | 9-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1958 | 8-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1956 | 7-2-2 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1951 | 7-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1950 | 9-0-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1948 | 11-0 | Won Bowl game |
| 1939 | 9-1 | Won Bowl game |
Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.
National titles across the ACC
| Team | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
 Pittsburgh Panthers | 9 | 1976 |
 California Golden Bears | 5 | 1937 |
 Miami Hurricanes | 5 | 2001 |
 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 4 | 1990 |
 Clemson Tigers this page | 3 | 2018 |
 Florida State Seminoles | 3 | 2013 |
 SMU Mustangs | 3 | 1982 |
 Stanford Cardinal | 2 | 1940 |
 Syracuse Orange | 1 | 1959 |
 Boston College Eagles | 0 | None yet |
 Duke Blue Devils | 0 | None yet |
 Louisville Cardinals | 0 | None yet |
 NC State Wolfpack | 0 | None yet |
 North Carolina Tar Heels | 0 | None yet |
 Virginia Cavaliers | 0 | None yet |
 Virginia Tech Hokies | 0 | None yet |
 Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 0 | None yet |
Current ACC members, claimed national championships.
Where Clemson sits in the ACC
Current ACC programs have claimed 35 national titles between them: nine for Pittsburgh, five for California, five for Miami, four for Georgia Tech, three for Clemson, three for Florida State, three for SMU, two for Stanford and one for Syracuse. The other eight programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the ACC standings, or browse every season on the Clemson record by year page.
Editorial note
College football crowned national champions by polls and selectors before the BCS (1998) and the College Football Playoff (2014). The titles here are the ones each program claims in its own record book.
Clemson Tigers football has won 3 national championships: 1981, 2016, 2018.
About the author and reviewer
Fact-checked by
ACCFOOTBALL.CO Coverage Review
Fact & Data Review · Primary-source verification
Every stat and historical claim on data pages is checked against official box scores and the live feed before publication.
Independence: ACCFOOTBALL.CO was not paid by any school, network or sportsbook for this page. Corrections are logged in our editorial policy.
The ACC Report
One conference, in your inbox every Tuesday.
Standings, the title race and one opinion on the ACC. No filler.
Frequently asked questions
How many national championships has Clemson won?
3. 1981 national championship, 2016 national championship, 2018 national championship.
When did Clemson win its first national championship?
In 1981. Finished 12-0.
When did Clemson last win a national championship?
In 2018. Finished 15-0.