Preview and Prediction: Clemson and Florida State
The No. 2 Clemson Tigers (5-0, 3-0 ACC) will look to continue their recent run of dominance over the Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 2-1 ACC) Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC), as they look to win their fifth-straight game over the Seminoles.
Clemson enters this week in search of a milestone victory for the program. At 749-459-45 all-time, Clemson is one win away from becoming the 15th FBS program to record 750 all-time wins. Clemson would be the first ACC program to reach the 750-win mark.
Last year, Clemson became the first program in ACC history to open four consecutive seasons with six consecutive wins, a mark Clemson will attempt to extend this year by opening 6-0 for a fifth consecutive season. It would be Clemson's 16th 6-0 start all-time, dating to it's 6-0 SIAA-title-winning campaign in 1900.
Both teams are coming off open dates last week, which bodes well for the Tigers. In fact, Clemson is 11-2 following regular season open weeks under Head Coach Dabo Swinney.
Who to watch when Clemson has the ball:
Trevor Lawrence (QB): All eyes will be on the Tigers' quarterback this week, after rumors were swirling during the off-week that he had suffered an injury to his shoulder. Rumors that Swinney adamantly squashed Wednesday night.
While mild panic has emerged from national observers about Lawrence's five interceptions thus far in 2019, Lawrence still holds Clemson's career interception rate record and is the only quarterback in school history with at least 100 passing attempts to throw an interception on fewer than two percent of his passes.
Travis Etienne (RB): Since becoming Clemson's starting running back entering the 2018 season, Etienne has accrued 2,120 rushing yards and a national-best 29 rushing touchdowns. In that time frame, Etienne has single-handedly : 10 FBS programs, including four Power Five schools.
Tee Higgins (WR): It appears that Higgins is coming into the form that made him one of the most dangerous receivers in the nation last season.
Higgins is primed for an assault on some of the greats presently populating Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career receiving touchdowns. His 38-yard touchdown grab against North Carolina was his 17th career touchdown reception, tying him for ninth in school history.
Marvin Wilson (DT; FSU): Wilson, the Seminoles' defensive captain, has 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble in 2019.
Against Louisville, led FSU with a career-high 10 tackles, including a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. His 3.5 TFL were the most in a game for a Seminole since 2017. Only Power 5 player since at least 2000 with at least 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery in the same game.
Who to watch when Florida State has the ball:
Defensive line: The Tiger defensive line has been gashed in each of their last two games, by Charlotte and UNC, and this week will see the challenge taken to another level, as they welcome the dynamic running back Cam Akers to Death Valley.
Even though they have been gashed for some big runs at inopportune times, Clemson has gone 26 consecutive games without allowing opponents to produce a 100-yard rusher, the longest active streak in the country. Clemson's zero 100- yard rushers allowed since 2018 are the fewest in the country, and the 26-game streak is Clemson's longest since at least 1980.
Isaiah Simmons (LB): Simmons tied for team-lead with nine tackles vs. Georgia Tech, sharing team defensive player of the week honor. He also recorded five tackles and a pass breakup vs. No. 12 Texas A&M and led Clemson with 11 tackles and a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss including 2.0 sacks at Syracuse, earning ACC Linebacker of the Week, Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week and Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week, and sharing team defensive player of the week honors.
In the Tigers last game, he led Clemson with eight tackles, as credited by the Clemson coaching staff, including 2.5 for loss and a sack as well as two pass breakups in earning team defensive player of the week at North Carolina.
Nolan Turner (Safety): Turner, who has recorded 58 tackles in two years of active competition with the team, has thrust himself into the record books in his fourth year with the Tigers—as he tied the team lead with nine tackles and added a pass broken up vs. Georgia Tech, posted four tackles (one for loss), two pass breakups and a forced fumble vs. No. 12 Texas A&M, added three tackles and a pass breakup at Syracuse, posted two tackles vs. Charlotte, recorded six tackles (one for loss) and contributed to the game-winning stop on a two-point conversion attempt at North Carolina.
Cam Akers (RB; FSU): Akers ranks top 15 nationally in All Purpose Yards, Rushing TDs, Rushing Yards, Rushing Yards per Game, Scoring, Total Points Scored and Total Touchdowns. He also ranks 9th in FSU history with 2,312 career rushing yards and is tied for 11th with 20 career rushing touchdowns.
Akers added five receiving touchdowns in his career, including one each vs. ULM and at No. 25 Virginia this season. While his eight career 100-yard rushing games are tied for 8th in program history.
Preview:
Florida State holds a 20-12 advantage in the series with Clemson dating back to the schools' first meeting, a 38-13 Florida State win in Tallahassee in 1970. Clemson has a 10-6 advantage over the last 16 games, including a five-game home winning streak until 2013. The home team has won 13 of the last 17 games in the series.
Since 2003, Clemson has won at Florida State three times, in 2006, 2016 and 2018. Florida State’s only win at Clemson since 2001 was in 2013. The last three road wins in the series (Florida State in 2013, Clemson in 2016 and 2018) all preceded National Championship victories that year. Each of the last 10 years, the winner of the Clemson vs. Florida State game has gone on to win the Atlantic Division title. Each of the last eight years, the winner of this matchup has won the ACC Championship, including each of the last four years by the Tigers.
Last year, Clemson became the first school to defeat Florida State in ACC play four years in a row, a streak Clemson will attempt to push to five this year. The Seminoles previously lost six in a row to Miami, but five of those games were played prior to Miami joining the ACC.
Prediction:
Zach Lentz: Clemson- 45 FSU- 14
Jeremy Styron: Clemson-42 FSU-10
Susan Lloyd: Clemson-45 FSU-17
