Clemson flag flies atop SC State House after national championship victory

A spot of orange pierced the dark sky above the S.C. State House early Tuesday as the tiger paw flag signaled Clemson’s victory in the national championship.

The Tigers defeated Alabama 44-16 in the College Football Playoff national championship game late Monday night to capture the school’s second football national title in three years and the third in program history.

The Clemson flag flew above the State House dome after Clemson’s national championship wins that followed the 1981 and 2016 seasons, as well as the USC flag after its national championships in baseball and basketball. The Coastal Carolina flag flew atop the dome after the Chanticleers’ won the College World Series in 2016.

The Tigers were expected back in Clemson late Tuesday night. The school will hold a parade and stadium celebration Saturday morning in Clemson.

This story was originally published January 8, 2019 at 7:49 AM.