Twenty-eight games, a little more than four seasons — and two national championships.
It's been a long time since Clemson last lost at home: 43-42 to Pitt on Nov. 12, 2016. The Tigers haven't lost at home since, often winning by huge margins. In 2019, Clemson won its seven home games by 38, 14, 42, 31, 52, 45 and 49 points. In 2020, the Tigers continued to win big: 49, 18, 25, 26, 6 and 35. Only Boston College pushed, falling only 34-28.
But the Tigers aren't that far out ahead from every other team. Here's a look at the longest active home winning streaks going into the 2021 college football season:
1. Clemson — 28 games
Last loss: 43-42 to Pitt on Nov. 12, 2016
As shocking as this loss was, it didn't ruin Clemson's title hopes. The Tigers wouldn't lose again in winning the national title that season. Clemson also picked up another crown in 2018 and played for the title again in 2019. Since falling to Pitt, the Tigers have rarely been threatened at home. Clemson rallied to beat Syracuse by 4 in 2018 and then held on against Boston College by 6 in 2020.
PERFECT: Undefeated national champions since 1936
2. Notre Dame — 24 games
Last loss: 20-19 to Georgia on Sept. 9, 2017
After a 4-8 struggle in 2016, Brian Kelly and Notre Dame have mostly been piling up wins. The Irish beat Temple in the 2017 home (and season) opener before losing to Georgia in their second game. But Notre Dame has since won 24 in a row in South Bend, Indiana. Those wins have meant the Irish have put together 10-, 12-, 11- and 10-win seasons in a row, including College Football Playoff appearances in 2018 and 2020.
3. Ohio State — 23 games
Last loss: 31-16 to Oklahoma on Sept. 9, 2017
Ohio State's last defeat came because of Baker Mayfield early in the 2017 season. OSU has often won in routs since then, helping the Buckeyes win four consecutive Big Ten Championships. This past season, Ohio State beat then-No. 9 Indiana by 7 but also won impressively against Nebraska (52-17) and Rutgers (49-27).
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4. Cincinnati — 21 games
Last loss: 35-24 to Temple on Nov. 10, 2017
The Bearcats and Luke Fickell have gone a combined 31-6 the last three seasons, including an undefeated regular season and a Peach Bowl appearance in 2020. Last season, Cincinnati topped then-No. 23 Tulsa at home to win the AAC crown.
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5. Memphis — 16 games
Last loss: 31-30 to No. 10 UCF on Oct. 13, 2018
Only a 1-point loss to an eventual 12-1 UCF team kept Memphis from holding an even longer streak. Since losing to UCF, the Tigers went 12-2 in 2019, reaching the Cotton Bowl. Memphis went 6-0 at home in 2020, helping it go 8-3 overall.
