The top-ranked Clemson Tigers will host No. 16 Florida State on Saturday in Death Valley. This will mark the first time the Tigers have even run down the Hill as the No. 1 ranked team in any major college football poll or ranking. A Clemson win and the Tigers clinch a berth in next month’s ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m., and will be televised nationally by ABC.
About FSU: The Seminoles need a win over Clemson and then a victory over NC State next weekend to win the ACC Atlantic Division. They come into this year game with a 7-1 record, which includes last week’s 45-21 victory over Syracuse.
FSU’s offense: The ‘Noles have not decided on who will be the starting quarterback between Everett Golson or Sean Maguire, who started in place of the suspended Jameis Winston in last year’s Clemson game. He threw for 304 yards on 21-of-39 passing, a touchdown and an interception in the win. Clemson also sacked him five times. Running back Dalvin Cook, who is averaging 148.1 yards per game, is set to return after sitting out last week’s game with hamstring and ankle injuries. Wide receiver Travis Rudolph had five catches for 191 yards last week, including touchdowns of 19, 45 and 75 yards.
FSU’s defense: The Seminoles rank 14th in the country in scoring defense at 16.8 points per game. They are giving up 139.4 yards per game on the ground and 184.1 through the air. They are 23rd in the country in total defense at 323.5 yards per game. Of note, FSU has faced just one team who is ranked in the top 50 nationally in passing, and it allowed Miami’s Brad Kaaya to throw for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns against them. The Tigers are averaging 267.0 yards per game through the air, which ranks second in the ACC and 33rd nationally.
Records: Clemson (8-0, 5-0 ACC); Florida State (7-1, 5-1 ACC)
Series record: Florida State leads the series 20-8
Games in Clemson: Florida State leads 8-5
First meeting: Florida State 38, Clemson 13 in 1970
Last Meeting: Florida State 23, Clemson 17 (OT) in 2014
Last Clemson win: Clemson 35, Florida State 30 in 2011
Streak: Florida State has won three in a row
Injuries: Clemson – Out: LB Korin Wiggins (knee); WR Mike Williams (neck); C Zach Riggs (knee); DT Jabril Robinson (knee); WR Trevion Thompson (concussion). Florida State – Out: DE Lorenzo Featherston (concussion); OL Derrick Kelly (knee); DB Marcus Lewis (concussion); OL Cole Minshew (concussion). Will Play: QB Everett Golson (concussion); RB Dalvin Cook (ankle and hamstring); RB Mario Pender (lung).
Stat worth noting: With a win over No. 16 Florida State, Swinney will record his 13th victory over a top 25 opponent, which will tie for second place on Clemson’s all-time list with his former boss, Tommy Bowden. Danny Ford owns the record with 20 wins. Ford was 20-12-1 vs. top 25-competition at Clemson.
Second stat worth noting: Running back Wayne Gallman is averaging 109.2 yards per game this season, which ranks third all-time for average yards per game in a season. Raymond Priester owns the No. 1 and No. 2 marks all-time. Priester averaged 112.1 yards per game in 1996 and 110.1 yards per game in 1995.
Third stat worth noting: Clemson’s offense has been in high gear over the last four games. The Tigers have averaged 47.8 points and 564.8 yards per game. That’s 7.1 yards per play against Georgia Tech. Boston College, Miami and NC State. The Tigers have averaged 242.3 yards on the ground and 322.5 yards through the air the last four games.
Memorable game: In 2003, Clemson upset a third-ranked Florida State team by a score of 26-10 on a nationally televised Saturday night game in Death Valley. The week before FSU defeated Notre Dame 37-0, and Clemson was coming off a 45-17 loss at Wake Forest. It is still tied for the highest ranked team Clemson has defeated.