Florida State at Clemson: 5 Things to Watch For
Clemson and Florida State are set to square off on Saturday in an ACC matchup featuring teams that appear to be headed in opposite directions.
The Seminoles (3-4, 2-3) come in winners of three straight, while the Tigers (4-3, 3-2) are coming off a ten point loss at Pitt and have already lost as many ACC games this season than they had in the past five seasons combined.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. from Death Valley and the game will be televised on ESPN.
5 Things to Watch For
1. Lingering Emotions From Last Season's Cancelation: Everyone recalls how last season's game was called off just hours before kickoff. Everyone also recalls just how steamed Dabo Swinney was. While both head coaches are saying all the right things leading up to this game, that doesn't necessarily mean all things have been forgotten. Expect this Clemson team to come out highly motivated for this one, and if the Tigers have the chance at rubbing it in a little, don't be surprised to see them take it. If they are capable of putting enough points on the board.
2. Who Starts at Quarterback: Swinney would not commit to a starting quarterback following the loss to Pitt, saying every position on the team would be evaluated during the week. However, it would be surprising to see anyone else other than D.J. Uiagalelei run out there first. He is, after all, supposed to be the guy leading this team for at least one more season. Having said that, the leash will probably be short. But don't be surprised if we get a Taisun Phommachanh sighting early on and then the coaching staff go from there, seeing which quarterback has the hotter hand.
3. Strength vs Strength: Florida State has the second best rushing offense in the ACC, averaging 230 yards per game. Clemson has the third-best run defense allowing just 120 yards per game. The Tigers can not allow running backs Jashaun Corbin and Treshaun Ward to pick up big chunks of yardage, particularly on first down. Keeping the Seminoles behind the chains and off-schedule is a must. Make quarterback Jordan Travis beat them with his arm.
4. Freshman Phenoms: Over the past few weeks, the Tigers have started to get the running game going. With Kobe Pace out, freshmen Will Shipley and Phil Mafah should get plenty of opportunities, and against a Florida State defense that is prone to giving up lots of yards on the ground. The Seminoles come in ranked No. 8 in the ACC in rush defense, allowing 158 yards per game.
5. Streaks On Line The last time Clemson lost at home was late in the 2016 season. The Tigers have won a school record 31 straight in the friendly confines of Death Valley, with 19 of those coming over ACC opponents. There are 132 players on the Clemson roster, and of those, 127 have never lost at home. The Tigers have also won five straight over Florida State, and are the only team in ACC competition to pull of that feat.
