Clemson at Florida State: 5 Things to Watch For

Five storylines to follow as the fourth-ranked Clemson Tigers head to Tallahassee to do battle with the Florida State Seminoles.

JP Priester | Oct 14, 2022

Jason Priester All Clemson

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Clemson Tigers

Clemson faces one of its toughest tests of the season so far, as the fourth-ranked Tigers head to Tallahassee for a primetime matchup with the Seminoles on Saturday.

This will be the first time since 2018 that the two teams will face off in Doak Campbell Stadium. Clemson (6-0, 4-0) has won six straight over Florida State (4-2, 2-2), and already having wins over Wake Forest and NC State, the Tigers now have an opportunity to take complete control of the Atlantic Division.

5 Things to Watch

1. Clemson Finally Healthy Along the DL: For the first time all season, the Tigers will have all of its highly-touted defensive front available, and at just the right time. For just the seventh time in the past 31 games, the Tigers will have Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and Xavier Thomas all available. Clemson is 6-0 in those games. Despite the injury issues up front, the Tigers have still been stout against the run, allowing just 63 yards per game.

2. Containing Jordan Travis: Florida State's starting quarterback is capable of beating you with his arms and his legs. Clemson will need a repeat performance from a week ago when the front four made life miserable for Boston College QB Phil Jurkovec. Travis can not be allowed to get comfortable in the pocket, but at the same time, can not be allowed to scramble and make plays outside of the pocket. Setting the edge will be of the utmost importance, as will not letting Travis escape through any running lanes. If the Tigers can get pressure without having to blitz, it might be a long night for the home team.

3. Can Clemson Secondary Hold Up: After getting torched by Sam Hartman in Winston-Salem, the backend of the Tigers' defense has played pretty well. However, this will be the best group of wideouts Clemson has seen since that shootout win over Wake Forest. Johnny Wilson, Ontraria Wilson and Mycah Pittman are all three capable of stretching the defense. The Tigers' secondary must keep the explosive plays to a minimum.

4. Get Will Shipley and Phil Mafah Going: NC State owned the line of scrimmage last week against Florida State. The Seminoles have not been great at stopping the run and are allowing more than 150 yards per game. Florida State is banged up along the defensive line and if Clemson is going to come away with a win, they need to get the ground game going. Last week, half of NC State's runs went for five yards or more against the FSU defense. The Tigers' offensive line has gotten better with each passing week, and if this group wants to make a bold statement, this just might be the week to do it.

5. DJU and WRU vs FSU Pass Defense: The Seminoles have been stingy when it comes to giving up yards through the air. Teams are averaging just 170 yards per game. The Florida State secondary is not only talented, but it also features plenty of experience. While Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei has been fairly consistent all season, the same can't be said for the wideouts. Critical drops are still an issue at times, despite it being improved since the early portion of the season. Uiagalelei absolutely needs more help than he got in the first half last week against Boston College.

The line dropped from Tigers -7.5 to -3.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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