7 photos that show Clemson’s football game vs. Wake Forest was no ordinary opener
Staff reports
The start of the football season in the Atlantic Coast Conference was delayed one week as a new schedule was set and precautions were put into place to play football during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We assumed the football part of a gameday would look the same, and that assumption mostly played out on the field Saturday night when Clemson traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to face Wake Forest in their first game of 2020. The Tigers won 37-13, but not everything surrounding the on-field product was normal. Take a look:
1. Where are the real football fans?
There were fans in the stands at Truist Field in Winston-Salem, but not many. And there were plenty of plastic cutouts looking on as well. Wake Forest allowed 50 parents of Demon Deacon senior players to attend the game because of coronavirus crowd guidelines still in effect from N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper. Clemson will have about 19,000 in attendance for home games this season. Walt Unks Winston-Salem Journal/POOL
2. Standing up for social justice
Promoting social justice was on the minds of Clemson and Wake Forest players. Both teams wore various helmet stickers to show support. The Clemson football team’s helmet stickers included the phrases “Black lives matter,” “equality,” “love” and “put a stop to racism.” Here, Wake Forest defensive end Carlos “Boogie” Basham carries a Black Lives Matter flag on to the field before the game. Walt Unks Winston-Salem Journal/POOL
3. A new look for the pregame coin toss
Clemson captains for the Wake Forest game were Cornell Powell, Nyles Pinckney, Trevor Lawrence and James Skalski. But the coin toss had a 2020 feel to it. Only one player per team went to midfield for the pregame ritual due to social distancing, a little ironic with players following that up by blocking and tackling each other for 3.5 hours. Matt Connolly The State
4. A lot of breathing room on the sidelines
The sideline of a college football game can be a crowded place, but not this year during the coronavirus pandemic with safety and social distancing being paramount. Look at the near-empty backdrop here at Truist Field -- it’s a place that’s normally lined with photographers and others who managed to score a sideline pass. Sideline access for all games in 2020 is extremely limited to teams, essential personnel and a small number of photographers. Walt Unks Winston-Salem Journal/POOL
5. Making room for the band and dance team
Wake Forest had its band and dance team members socially distanced, and wearing face coverings, on a hill in an endzone Saturday at Truist Field in Winston-Salem. Walt Unks Winston-Salem Journal/POOL
6. A postgame greeting, with face coverings
Clemson and Wake Forest players wore masks, gaiters and even face shields while on the sidelines. Here, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson meet at midfield after their game, both wearing face coverings. Walt Unks Winston-Salem Journal/POOL
7. The Clemson alma mater, with no band and no fans
Check out this surreal scene: With no Clemson fans or band in attendance to celebrate the victory with, the Tigers used a speaker to play the alma mater in the end zone at Truist Field before leaving the stadium and heading home. Matt Connolly The State
This story was originally published September 13, 2020 at 12:41 PM.
