Clemson Tigers Prep for Huge Rivalry Showdown With Florida State Seminoles

The Clemson Tigers enter October undefeated in ACC play and heading to face one of their top conference rivals on the road.

Sep 21, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Vic Burley (45) and North Carolina State offensive lineman Rico Jackson (64) battle during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

There are plenty of storylines as the Clemson Tigers prepare to head to Tallahassee to face the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. eastern and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

At the start of the season, many had Florida State as the favorite to win the conference. Well, the Seminoles are on a steep decline. After losing to SMU on the road on Saturday, the Seminoles (1-4, 1-3 in ACC) might be lucky to make a bowl game.

Meanwhile, Clemson (3-1, 2-0) is one of several undefeated teams in this young ACC slate and just moved up to No. 15 in the AP Top 25. The Tigers have put that season-opening loss to Georgia in their rear-view mirror.

The game will be a reunion as Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei used to be Clemson’s starting quarterback. He transferred after the 2022 season when it was clear Cade Klubnik would be the starter.

He spent a year with Oregon State and then transferred to Florida State. It’s not clear if he will play as he suffered a minor injury against SMU and coach Mike Norvell left the door open for his backup, Brock Glenn, to start.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney can become the winningest ACC football coach in history. He tied one of his mentors, Florida State legend Bobby Bowden, with Saturday's win over Stanford.

He can take sole possession of the top spot with a win over his mentor’s team.  

Here is a preview of Clemson and Florida State.

Stanford vs. Florida State

Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.

Time: 7 p.m., ET

TV: ESPN

Radio: WCCP 105.5 FM (flagship)

Coaches: Clemson — Dabo Swinney (173-44 at Clemson and for his career); Florida State — Mike Norvell (32-21 at Florida State, 70-36 for his career).

Fun fact: Both Swinney and Norvell were walk-on college football players. Swinney walked on at Alabama, while Norvell walked on at Louisiana Tech before he transferred to Central Arkansas, where he became the program’s all-time leader in receptions at the time.  

All-Times Series: Florida State leads series, 21-15

Last meeting: Florida State 31, Clemson 28 (OT, 2023).

Series notes: Their first meeting was in 1970 and they played each other five times before Florida State left the independent ranks and joined the ACC in 1992.   

Last Week: Clemson def. Stanford, 40-14; Florida State lost to SMU, 42-16.

About Florida State: Florida State thought this season would be a revenge tour after last year’s College Football Playoff snub. But, from the start, it's been nothing but a nightmare.

The Seminoles went to Ireland for their season opener and lost to Georgia Tech. Florida State lost to Norvell’s former employer, Memphis, at home and the Seminoles’ only win is over Cal, one of the ACC newbies.

Uiagalelei’s play has left a lot to be desired and Norvell may be contemplating a quarterback change, though a minor injury may necessitate a move. As inefficient as he’s been behind center, the Seminole run game is an absolute disaster. FSU has gained just 326 yards in five games.

Up until the loss to SMU, the FSU defense hadn't given up more than 28 points in a game. The 42 points allowed to SMU could indicate the defense is finally starting to buckle under the weight of Florida State’s subpar offense.

About Clemson: For the past three games the vibes, as the kids like to say, have been immaculate for the Tigers. They have dominated their last three opponents at Memorial Stadium, with their latest victory over Stanford proving that they can still blow out an opponent after a slow start.

But this contest will be a test of a different nature. Clemson's only loss was to Georgia, which was a neutral site game. Saturday's game will represent Clemson’s first true road game and it will come in one of the most hostile environments in the ACC. The Tigers also be facing a team that is wounded and desperate for a win. It's a potentially bad combination.

That's why Clemson’s defensive performance on Saturday was so important. The Tigers forced three turnovers, all interceptions, and made Stanford’s night as difficult as possible. Yes, the Cardinal was able to gain significant yardage on the ground. But the Tigers made big plays when Stanford was in the red zone. The Tigers will have to carry that sort of defensive execution with them to Tallahassee.

Next Up: Clemson travels to Wake Forest on Oct. 12. Florida State has a bye week.