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SOUTH CAROLINA’S CLEMSON University are not only the defending NCAAF college football champions — they’re also the number one seed and the team to beat as this year’s competition reaches its epic conclusion.
The Tigers have only won the national championship twice, but they’re just two more wins away from completing their treble, starting with a Sugar Bowl showdown against Alabama later tonight (1.45am Irish time).
Earlier this season, Clemson opened a brand new $55 million football complex, and now we get a peak inside and outside what looks like a swanky playground for college students.
Here are some photos and videos of some of the best features:
The Allen N. Reeves Football Complex was designed by HOK, the architect firm responsible for many stadiums around the world
The Tigers’ 2016 College Football Playoff championship trophy is on display in the lobby…
And they have a tiger to keep guard
The entrance has a hill that mimics “The Hill” at Memorial Stadium that players run down as they enter the stadium
But if you prefer, you can go down the slide which is in the back of the building and is the quickest way to get from the second floor to the practice field
Inside, the players have access to two bowling lanes with video scoring
To the right of those are pool tables, arcade games, a golf simulator, and multiple ping-pong tables
Outside, there is a basketball court and a putting green
If you look closely next to the basketball court, that is a nine-hole crazy golf course
This is the entrance to the locker room
The lockers look like each player gets his own purple throne
Just to make sure all the bases were covered, they also have a barber shop, a shoe-shine area, and a nap room… yes, a nap room
There is a room just for displaying Nike gear
The conference rooms are outfitted with leather seats emblazoned with the Clemson logo
There is a “plunge” pool that holds up to 60 people. It is not clear if that is 60 average-sized people, or 60 football players
Of course there are TVs on the wall to entertain the players
There is also a lap pool and four other therapy tubs, also with TVs on the wall
And finally, the weights room, which by itself takes up 23,000 square feet
– Cork Gaines, Business Insider
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