College Football Program Will Continue Storming Field Despite Conference Mandate as HC Reveals Plan

The final whistle blows. Clemson fans spill onto the turf in waves, circling Howard’s Rock at midfield. Players and fans raise three fingers in salute as the alma mater plays, followed by the Tiger Rag from the band, and the cannon echoes through Death Valley. What began under longtime coach Frank Howard as a modest postgame gathering to connect fans and players has since grown into a full-field choreographed spectacle—one the ACC largely allowed until now, despite growing safety concerns.

One of the most glaring examples came last season during Clemson’s 14–17 loss to rival South Carolina. Gamecock fans stormed the field to celebrate the upset at Death Valley—while Clemson fans simultaneously followed their own postgame tradition of “Gathering at the Paw.” The result: a gridlocked midfield full of players and fans from both sides. South Carolina players tried to plant their flag; tensions escalated. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney described the moment as “death in the middle,” while Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer admitted, “It was dangerous. I was lucky to get out alive.” The incident, along with other court-storming altercations across the ACC, has forced the conference to finally step in.

“We’re used to field stormings. It’s at home every game. If we lose on the road, we get it there too,” the Tigers’ head coach, Dabo Swinney, said during his breakout session at the July 24 ACC media event. “I didn’t really know about [the new rule] until last week. We were in our program meetings, and Graham [Neff] kind of went over it.” Swinney, while acknowledging the need for change, said Clemson has a plan:

It is a version of the tradition that still allows fans to gather on the field—but only after the opposing team has fully cleared out. “I think they got a good plan in place,” he said. “Where hopefully, [we] can achieve the objectives—being able to get the team off the field—and then still be able to gather the Paw and have the fans come on and hold the alma mater. I think they got a good plan in place.”

Clemson confirmed its support of the ACC’s new policy in a separate statement, while working to preserve the spirit of its traditions. “Clemson is in the process of finalizing our updated protocol in accordance with this policy,” a spokesperson told The State. “Our approach acknowledges the significance of Gathering at the Paw on Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, and we intend to allow for its continuation once visiting teams and personnel have safely exited the field.  We ask our fans for their cooperation in this matter beginning this fall.”

As per ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, schools are now required to submit full security details. Moreover, the ACC also laid out a plan for “protecting” visiting teams from home fans. The rules don’t ban field stormings entirely. Rather, they aim to introduce structure and accountability, including a tiered fine system: $50,000 for the first violation, $100,000 for the second, and $200,000 for the third within a two-year window. Phillips called the move “an important step” for conference safety.

For Clemson, the challenge this fall won’t just be on the scoreboard—it’ll be striking the balance between safety and sentiment. The tradition isn’t going anywhere, but from now on, it comes with boundaries, protocols, and price tags.