CLEMSON – After holding the nation’s number one offense to a season low in points and yards, Clemson’s bowl hopes live on for another week.
The much-maligned Tiger defense held Florida State to 360 yards in their 24-10 win over the Seminoles Saturday night in Death Valley. The previous low for yards and points was 382 (Alabama) and 13 (Stanford).
Clemson improved to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in the ACC, while Florida State dropped to 4-5 overall and 1-5 in conference. It was the Tigers first win over a Power Four team at home in over year, and their ninth win in the last ten meetings with the Seminoles.
Clemson controlled the game from start to finish for really the first time this season. While the offense only managed 319 yards, it was a clean game. Quarterback Cade Klubnik completed 19-of-26 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. He also added a rushing score. Adam Randall had 15 carries for 48 yards. Gideon Davidson added 10 carries for 39 yards. Antonio Williams led the receivers with five catches for 62 yards and a score.
Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos was 20-for-38 for 203 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Florida State elected to defer giving Clemson the ball to start the game. Randall took the handoff on the first play for 12 yards to set the tone. Klubnik methodically marched the offense down the field in 13 plays and scored on a 4-yard run by Klubnik on third down. Holder Clay Swinney took the snap on the extra point attempt and ping-ponged his way to the endzone for an 8-0 Clemson lead with 8:25 to play in the opening quarter.
Early in the second quarter, facing a 4th-and-2 on its own 39, Florida State decided to go for it, but Castellanos missed a wide-open receiver on the wheel route to set Clemson up in plus territory. Randall picked up five on first down, and on the next play, Klubnik hit Williams in the endzone for a 34-yard touchdown and a 15-0 lead less than three minutes into the second quarter.
On the Seminoles’ next drive, Castellanos once again missed a wide-open receiver deep down the field, and Florida State had to punt after gaining just 17 yards, but a beautiful punt bounced at the four-yard line to pin Clemson deep.
Klubnik once again systematically took the offense down the field. Davidson carried the ball five times for 21 yards on the drive. However, it stalled on the FSU 22, and after trying to draw the Seminoles offside, Nolan Hauser came on and nailed a 40-yard field goal for an 18-0 Clemson lead with 2:31 to play before halftime.
Florida State finally got on the board with under a minute remaining before halftime. FSU picked up 21 yards on 3rd-and-4 to keep the drive alive. Facing 4th-and-2, Castellanos picked up 26 yards to put the ball on the 14-yard line, but an unnecessary roughness call tacked on seven more yards. The Clemson defense held on first and second downs, but Castellanos bought enough time and found Lawayne McCoy in the endzone to cut Clemson’s lead to 18-7.
The Seminoles came out after halftime and moved the ball down the field with ease, but a Corian Gipson batted away a pass and Avieon Terrell sacked Castellanos to force a 40-yard field goal attempt that went awry.
The Tigers took over on their own 22 after the miss. Klubnik completed his first three passes of the second half: 12 to Moore, 20 to Williams, and 20 to Randall to put Clemson on the 23-yard line. The offense eventually drove down to the five to set up a 23-yard Hauser field goal to extend Clemson’s lead to 21-7 with 6:01 to play in the third quarter.
Clemson’s defense forced its first three-and-out of the game, and the offense took over on its own 47. Nine plays later, Hauser hit his third field goal of the game, this time from 44 yards for a 24-7 Clemson lead with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game.
After a penalty-ridden drive, the Seminoles added three points on a 46-yard field goal to cut Clemson’s lead to 24-10 with 7:37 to play.
Clemson travels to Louisville for a Friday night tilt with the Cardinals.
Story by Nikki Hood
Final Stats
My View from Death Valley
Clemson Postgame
Dabo Swinney
Cade Klubnik
Blake Miller
Wade Woodaz
