By: Eric Robinson
As we enter the point of the college football season where the College Football Playoff beings to truly shape itself, conference championship games also map themselves out including this HUGE ACC matchup. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney takes his 7-0 Tigers team into opposing territory as they take on the 12th ranked team in the country, Florida State Seminoles.
Florida State (5-2) themselves have ACC championship aspirations, although they need a little help. Beating Clemson would definitely provide tremendous aid but this isn’t an ordinary Clemson team. This is one that can pretty much write their ticket to the ACC title game with a victory over Florida State. Who will prevail in this pivotal, late-season ACC collision? Let’s dissect the primetime matchup for week nine in college football.
What To Know About Clemson
In the last 10 games in Tallahassee, the Tigers have lost nine of them with the only win coming in 2006 in a 27-20 nail biter. It wouldn’t surprise me if Swinney has planted that chip on the shoulders of his talented Tigers as they head into enemy territory. Junior quarterback Deshaun Watson is the leader of these Tigers and what a leader to have. One that is once again aHeisman candidate after being a finalist in 2015. This year, he has tossed for 1,950 yards and 20 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. He has also added 274 yards on the ground with one score. His rushing yards are down as is the yardage total from starting running back Wayne Gallman (489 yards, 5 TDs).
Even with the run game being down a little, the receiving corps for the Tigers is scary good. Leading receiver Mike Williams (39 catches, 578 yards, 4 TDs) has boosted the offense tremendously. His talents along with wideouts Artavis Scott (27/251/2), Ray-Ray McCloud (32/339/2), and Deon Cain (15/255/6) have been a huge reason why the Tigers average 36.6 points per game.
On the defensive side of the ball, a number of new starters have not hindered the defense from being a force as the unit is eighth in the country in total defense while only allowing 15.3 points per game. The Tigers have 12 players with at least three tackles for loss with defensive end Christian Wilkins leading the charge with 8.5. Free safety Van Smith has played excellent this season with 56 tackles and four tackles for loss and has made a case for being an All-ACC selection. Linebacker Ben Boulware leads the team in tackles with 57 and defensive coordinator Brent Venables has done a masterful job of managing the depth on the team, especially with the handling of freshman defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who has 33 tackles (4th on the team).
What To Know About Florida State:
A 3-2 start to the season is currently becoming a distant memory as the Noles are on a two-game win streak and a chance to gain a monumental victory. Of course, everything on offense runs through the dynamic Dalvin Cook. The junior running back is averaging 5.7 yards per carry with 900 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. The workload has been heavy but the speedy back is capable of holding his own. At quarterback, redshirt freshmen Deondre Francois has seen some good with the bad this season as he has tossed for 1,876 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Noles are 35th in the nation in scoring at 35.9 points per game as well as three outings in which the offense totaled at least 580 yards of offense. The defense has been without their best playmaker in safety Derwin James for most of the season so far and it has shown at times. One constant has been the productivity of defensive end Demarcus Walker, who is tied for second in the ACC in sacks with 8.5 as well as leads the team with three forced fumbles. Redshirt junior linebacker Matthew Thomas leads the team in tackles with 34. The unit has had a pension of soaking up takeaways with 15, tied for 19th in the country in that category.
Prediction:Â
What is key for this game is that both teams are coming off bye weeks. So both are well-rested and somewhat healed with a clear focus. In last season’s contest in Death Valley, Cook ran for 194 yards and a touchdown against a very talented Clemson defense that included six NFL draft picks. Winning the lottery has better odds than defenses shutting down Cook. He will get his yards and he will score. It’s about managing his impact for Clemson, which is objective number one for the defense.
It will be critical for Watson and the offense to limit turnovers and take advantage of red-zone trips. The Noles have shown resilience and has taken advantage of teams who don’t put them away when the opportunity arises.
Both defenses will make plays and both defenses have the talent to come up with key stops. One X-factor for the game is the passing offense for the Noles. The Seminoles are 33rd in the country in the passing department but will be missing receiver Bobo Wilson to a foot injury. Wilson is second on the team in receptions (30) and yards (390) which means a loss like that places a heavier burden on a receiving corps that does not have much production outside of their top three pass catchers. Making plays in the air will keep Clemson from stacking the box which also means on less defender for Cook to elude.
The crowd will be raucous and the Noles will definitely make a game of it but a deep receiving corps for Clemson will make things hectic for a passing defense that is 76th in the country. A tough Clemson team finds a championship pedigree late and stays on track towards the ACC championship game.
Score – Clemson 35 Florida State 27
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