CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The first time D.J. Uiagalelei attended a game at Clemson, he spotted the first tailgaters about 20 minutes outside the stadium. He knew Clemson’s Memorial Stadium held more than 85,000 people, but he was in awe of the tens of thousands without tickets who came to just hang out. It especially impressed him considering the town has less than 17,000 residents.
“I've never seen nothing like that in my life,” said Uiagalelei, who grew up in the Inland Empire in Southern California. “Just opened up my eyes, 'Wow, this is amazing.