After a week off for both schools, #22 Clemson will invade Doak Campbell Stadium to take on top-ranked Florida State on Saturday. The contest will be the ACC opener for both teams and could have a huge bearing on the Atlantic division race.
Florida State comes in with a record of 2-0 after easily disposing of The Citadel its last time out. The Tigers will arrive in Tallahassee with a record of 1-1. Clemson pounded South Carolina State 73-7 after kicking off the season with a 45-21 loss at Georgia.
The #1 Seminoles are led by redshirt sophomore quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Jameis Winston. Winston is completing better than 70 percent of his passes this season while averaging better than 300 yards-per-game passing.
Winston’s top target is without a doubt senior wide receiver Rashad Greene. Greene has 283 yards in two games this season and is averaging nearly 19 yards-per-catch. Senior tight end Nick O’Leary is second on the team with eight receptions for 79 yards.
Winston and the Florida State passing attack will have to face one of the nation’s premier pass-rushers in Clemson senior defensive end Vic Beasley. After leading the ACC with 13 sacks a season ago, Beasley has recorded a sack in each of the Tigers’ first two games in 2014.
Playing alongside Beasley is a very talent defensive tackle in Grady Jarrett. Beasley, Jarrett and the Clemson defensive front will be taking on a FSU offensive line comprised of five seniors.
While Florida State is experienced up front, the Seminoles struggled a bit on the ground in the season-opener against Oklahoma State. Against The Citadel however, Florida State eclipsed the 200-yard mark and averaged six yards per-carry. Senior Karlos Williams should get the majority of the carries on Saturday.
Defensively, Florida State will likely face a pair of Clemson quarterbacks on Saturday. Senior Cole Stoudt and freshman Deshaun Watson have split time this season, but the two have combined for over 650 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Stoudt has taken the majority of the snaps thus far for the Tigers, but four of Watson’s 13 pass attempts have gone for touchdowns.
Though Martavis Bryant and Sammy Watkins are no longer playing wide receiver for the Tigers, Clemson has a pair of home run threats at the position. Freshman Artavis Scott and sophomore Mike Williams are each averaging better than 24 yards-per-catch. The two have combined for 15 receptions thus far.
Scott, Williams and the Clemson receiving corps will have their hands full with one of the best secondaries in the country on Saturday. P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby are each excellent cover corners for Florida State while safety Jalen Ramsey was named a preseason All-American.
Sophomore Nate Andrews led the Seminoles in interceptions a season ago and scored Florida State’s first touchdown of the 2014 season on an early interception return against Oklahoma State.
The biggest area of concern for Florida State heading into the ACC opener will be the defensive line. While Mario Edwards Jr., who returned a fumble for a touchdown against Clemson last season, headlines that unit, the Seminoles are extremely thin and banged up at defensive tackle. Eddie Goldman, Justin Shanks and Nile Lawrence-Stample all left the game against The Citadel with knee injuries and all are question marks for the ACC opener.
With redshirt freshman Matthew Thomas suspended, Florida State will get a big pick-me-up at linebacker this week with the return of Ukeme Eligwe. Eligwe will be joined by juniors Reggie Northrup and Terrance Smith, who are each off to very good starts in 2014.
Senior Stephone Anthony is a reliable veteran at linebacker for Clemson and was instrumental in the Tigers’ Orange Bowl victory over Ohio State to conclude last season. Anthony will play in front of a secondary that starts two sophomores and a freshman.
Reigning Lou Groza Award winner Roberto Aguayo has been a even bigger factor for Florida State as a sophomore in 2014. Aguayo has hit three field goals in each of the Seminoles’ first two games this season and is 27-for-28 on field goal attempts for his career. Should this one remain close late, Aguayo could be a huge weapon for FSU.
In what was a meeting of top 5 teams a season ago, the Seminoles scored more points than any opposing team ever at Death Valley. Florida State topped the third-ranked Tigers 51-14 behind 444 yards passing from Winston and three forced turnovers by cornerback Lamarcus Joyner.
After dropping six of nine to Clemson from 2003-2011, Florida State has won the last two in the series. FSU topped the Tigers 49-37 in Clemson’s last trip to Tallahassee back in September of 2012 in what was a match-up of top 10 teams. Over the past two seasons, Florida State is the only ACC team to defeat the Tigers.
On the line for Florida State on Saturday will be an 18-game winning streak and perhaps the Atlantic division title. Since 2009, the winner of the contest between FSU and Clemson has gone on to represent the division in the ACC Championship every year. The Seminoles will also aim to start the year 3-0 for a third straight season.
Clemson will seek its first victory in Tallahassee since 2006. That year, James Davis scored from one yard out in the game’s final minute to give Clemson a dramatic 27-20 victory.
Saturday’s contest at Doak Campbell Stadium is set to begin after 8:00 P.M. eastern time. It can be seen nationally on ABC.
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