Can Florida State finally stop Clemson in 2023?
It's been nearly a decade since Jameis Winston took Florida State to the first-ever College Football Playoff. Of course, that game ended in calamity for the 'Noles, getting blown out by Marcus Mariota and the Oregon Ducks, but it was still a noteworthy achievement, a year after winning the final BCS National Championship.
Florida State seemed primed to continue its dominance over the ACC. Their biggest competitor, Clemson, was still mocked around the country for "Clemsoning", a euphemism for the Tigers getting close but always failing. What people couldn't see was the future. A historic run that would see Clemson dominate the ACC in historic fashion for the better part of a decade, on their way to 2 CFP National Championships.
Florida State hasn't beaten Clemson since 2014. (Clemson Athletics)
Now, as we near the 2023 season, it feels like Clemson has fallen back to Earth. The Tigers have still won double-digit games the past couple of seasons, but multiple coordinator changes and lackluster offensive performance have made them very beatable.
While Clemson has come back to the pack, FSU has continued its climb out of the hole dug by former head coach Jimbo Fisher and their administration. Mike Norvell, whose job barely survived an 0-4 start in 2021, including a loss to Jacksonville State, now has his team positioned to make a run. The Seminoles return 87% percent of their production from 2022, per ESPN's Bill Connelly. They've also been active in the Transfer Portal, snagging tight end Jaheim Bell from South Carolina and wide receiver Keon Coleman from Michigan State.
With all of that returning production and a quarterback in Jordan Travis who is expected to have a big year, Florida State should be the clear favorite in the ACC. So why aren't they? Well, FSU has an orange and purple colored problem. Florida State hasn't beaten Clemson since 2014. If everything goes the way Vegas believes it will, they'll likely have two shots at the Tigers this season. With the ACC abandoning divisions, the top two teams in the conference will meet in the title game in Charlotte, and Clemson is going to be a tough out.
While Clemson is breaking in a new quarterback and offensive system, they have something that's invaluable in football: an elite line of scrimmage. The Tigers return 4 out of 5 starting offensive linemen from last year and a couple of other linemen that started at least one game. Defensively, the return of Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro is huge. They also brought in one of the best defensive line classes ever, headlined by defensive tackle Peter Woods. Behind them is inarguably the best duo of linebackers in college football. Both Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will be preseason All-ACC selections.
The combination of a nasty defensive front, with an offensive that can impose its will with solid line play and excellent backs makes Clemson a tough ask for any team. We'll get a chance to see which team runs the ACC early in the year as Florida State visits Clemson in week 4.
More Clemson Football News:
- ESPN ranks Clemson high in Defensive Future Power Rankings
- Clemson Kicker Enters Transfer Portal
- Don't Pass Judgement on Clemson's Offense Yet
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