Fourth-ranked Clemson began the week with their largest point spread ever against Florida State, opening as 33 point favorites. The Seminoles have hit hard times and head coach Mike Norvell is into the first year of what appears to be a multiyear rebuild.
Meanwhile Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is trying to get his team primed and ready for another run to the College Football Playoff. This will be the 34th overall meeting between these two teams that began back in 1970. Florida State leads the overall series 20-13, but the Tigers have dominated of late and currently have a five game winning streak over the Noles.
The odds already felt like they were heavily stacked against FSU, and then things seemed to get a little worse this week when Norvell announced that they were going to be without more players for the rest of the season and one of those was former starting quarterback James Blackmon. Then today it was announced that freshman QB Chubba Purdy is done for the season.
The Tigers are coming off of a bye week that followed their first regular season loss since 2017. Clemson is trying to get some of their key players healthy but the good news for them is they will have quarterback Trevor Lawrence back after he had been out the last two games due to testing positive for Covid.
A look at the numbers show how wide the gap between these two programs are on paper but you have to keep in mind that this is also a rivalry game and Clemson is going to get every teams best shot.
The Numbers:
Florida State 2-6 (1-6)
- PPG- 19.3
- Opp PPG- 37.9
- Rushing YPG- 173.1
- Opp Rushing YPG- 212.1
- Rush YPC- 4.7
- Opp YPC- 5.4
- Pass YPG- 186.4
- Opp Pass YPG- 274.6
- Total Offense YPG- 359.6
- Opp Total Off YPG- 486.7
- Off Yards Per Play- 4.8
- Opp Off Yards Per Play- 6.6
- 3rd Down Conv- 32.71%
- Opp 3rd Down Conv- 52.22%
- Sacks- 10
- Sacks Allowed- 28
#4 Clemson 7-1 (6-1)
- PPG- 45.4
- Opp PPG- 19.5
- Rush YPG- 150.0
- Opp Rush YPG- 113.4
- Rush YPC- 4.1
- Opp Rush YPC- 3.1
- Pass YPG- 353.6
- Opp Pass YPG- 191.8
- Total Off YPG- 503.6
- Opp Total Off YPG- 305.1
- Off Yards Per Play-6.5
- Opp Off Yards Per Play- 4.7
- 3rd Down Conv- 48%
- Opp 3rd Down Conv- 31%
- Sacks- 30
- Sacks Allowed- 13
Former Clemson Tiger Terrence Oglesby has a new ACC Basketball Preview out now available for purchase. Click here to order your copy today. Use the coupon code “clemsonjunkies” for 10% of of your purchase! Also be sure to check out his weekly Let It Fly show on Facebook or Twitter!
