Clemson to Honor Bobby Bowden During Saturday’s Game Against FSU

This year’s Clemson-Florida State matchup just doesn’t have the kind of juice that some of the previous games have had.

However, it’s still the Tigers and Seminoles and with the way last year’s game was cancelled, there is some intrigue surrounding the game. There’s also something else planned that will make this one a little different.

According to Larry Williams of Tiger Illustrated, Clemson is planning to honor former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, who passed away earlier this year, during the game. It will also mark the first time former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden has been in Death Valley since he and the school parted ways in the midst of the 2008 season.

Tommy Bowden hasn't been back in Death Valley since a 20-17 loss to Maryland in his second-to-last game as coach in 2008. He'll be there Saturday as Clemson celebrates his late father and the Bowden family.

— Larry Williams (@LarryWilliamsTI) October 26, 2021

Dabo Swinney got his coaching career started under Tommy Bowden and grew to have quite the unique relationship with the elder Bowden over the years as well.

“A great husband, great father,” Swinney said after Bowden’s passing. “He loved his community. He was loyal. He was committed. He loved his players. And I just he, he was funny. He had a grace to him. It’s tough. And the model of consistency, I mean, the absolute model of consistency, but he is a special human being. And I sat my office with him I guess, two seasons ago, 2019, and we probably had about an hour in my office together just the two of us.”