Clemson football 2023 spring game guide: Kickoff time, streaming, radio, weather, parking

Chapel Fowler

After 14 practices across the past two months, Clemson football’s ready to put a bow on its spring practice schedule in entertaining fashion.

The Tigers will hold their annual Orange and White Spring Game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, offering fans a first look at the 2023 team set to defend last year’s ACC title.

Here’s everything you need to know heading into the weekend.

Top storylines for the game

  • Clemson typically splits its roster down the middle to create even teams for the spring game but is tweaking the format this year, coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday during a local radio appearance. For 2023, one team will feature Clemson’s first-team offense and second-team defense. The other will feature Clemson’s second-team offense and first-team defense. Swinney said he made the change so starting quarterback Cade Klubnik has the “best opportunity to have a little continuity in front of him” amid an offensive coordinator change and some prominent injuries to offensive players. The goal is to maintain Clemson’s current first-team offense — and pit them against the first-team defense — in hopes of tangible progress in a game-like environment. Though full rosters haven’t been announced as of Friday morning, Clemson has confirmed defensive tackles coach/defensive run game coordinator Nick Eason will coach the Orange team, and running backs coach C.J. Spiller will coach the White team.

  • Speaking of that coordinator change: Saturday could offer some early hints at how new OC Garrett Riley’s offense will operate as compared to his predecessor. Swinney fired former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter in January (the first time he’s fired an assistant since 2012) and replaced him with Riley, who won the 2022 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant at TCU. Players including Klubnik, running back Will Shipley and wide receiver Antonio Williams have raved throughout spring practice about Riley’s system, which puts a premium on simplicity. Especially with the first-team offense working as a unit, play style — and tempo — will be worth watching.

  • Saturday will be a milestone for Clemson’s 14 high school early enrollees: It’s their public debut in Death Valley. They make up the Tigers’ largest ever group of January enrollees under Swinney, who said earlier this spring they’re all “as advertised.” Any mention of the group must start with defensive tackle Peter Woods, a five-star recruit from Alabama who’s generated all sorts of buzz and probably has the most play-now potential of the group. Other true freshmen worth watching for: defensive lineman T.J. Parker, the second highest rated recruit in the class behind Woods; quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Clemson’s potential QB2 for 2023; and wide receiver Noble Johnson, who could get some serious snaps and targets Saturday due to injuries ahead of him.

  • Wide receiver is a main spot of attrition for Clemson: Two potential starters, Beaux Collins (shoulder) and Adam Randall (knee), have been limited for all of camp and won’t play in the spring game. Backup receivers Troy Stellato (ACL) and Will Taylor (baseball season) also won’t play. Other notable scholarship players whose spring game absences will open up snaps for younger backups: left guard Marcus Tate (knee), right guard Walker Parks (ankle), defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (shoulder) and defensive tackle Payton Page (shoulder).

Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during spring practice in Clemson on March 6 , 2023
Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) during spring practice in Clemson on March 6 , 2023

Clemson spring game parking

Amid ongoing construction at Memorial Stadium, which is in Phase II of a roughly $70 million renovation, there are some parking changes for the spring game.

Lot 5, home to the pregame Tiger Walk, is closed and won’t be available. All other parking lots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Clemson will hold an altered Tiger Walk on Press Road, directly to the right of Lot 5, at 11:40 a.m.

Memorial Stadium gates open at 11:30 a.m. Clemson said fans should primarily enter through Gates 1, 5, 9, and 13 and allow extra time to get inside due to construction. Entry is free, no tickets are required and all seating is general admission.

Full details are available at ClemsonTigers.com.

2023 Clemson football spring game info

What: 2023 Orange and White Spring Game

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

Admission: Free for all fans

TV: None

Stream: ACC Network Extra via ESPN or the ESPN app

Broadcast crew: Roy Philpott, Eric Mac Lain, Taylor Tannenbaum

Local radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area (see all Clemson radio affiliates here)

Weather forecast for Saturday

Mostly sunny with a few clouds, light winds and a high of 79 degrees, according to Weather.com. Coming off a rainy Friday, there’s only an 8% chance of rain.

Clemson 2023 football schedule

  • Sept. 4 (Mon): at Duke

  • Sept. 9: vs. Charleston Southern

  • Sept. 16: vs. Florida Atlantic

  • Sept. 23: vs. Florida State

  • Sept. 30: at Syracuse

  • Oct. 7: vs. Wake Forest

  • Oct. 14: OPEN

  • Oct. 21: at Miami

  • Oct. 28: at N.C. State

  • Nov. 4: vs. Notre Dame

  • Nov. 11: vs. Georgia Tech

  • Nov. 18: vs. North Carolina

  • Nov. 25: at South Carolina

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