Clemson is on it is way to the ACC Championship Game with a 23-13 victory over No. 16 Florida State. The Tigers are 9-0 for the first time since 1981.
Wayne Gallman rumbles 25 yards to put Clemson up 23-13 with 2:34 to play in the game.
Greg Huegel puts Clemson back in front, 16-13, with a 34-yard field goal to cap an 8-play, 75-yard drive. Leggett has a career-high six catches for 101 yards.
The third quarter comes to an end with the game tied at 13.
Florida State answers Clemson’s touchdown with a 41-yard field goal by Roberto Aguayo. That capped an 8-play, 46-yard drive.
Clemson grabs its first lead of the game as Deon Gain takes a smoke screen pass from Deshaun Watson and races 38 yards to the end zone. The Tigers take a 13-10 lead with 10:01 to play in the third quarter.
On the second play from scrimmage, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook took a hand off and rumbled 75-yard down the middle of the field, while showing little affect from hamstring and ankle injuries that kept him out of last week’s game at Syracuse.
The Clemson scoring drive was seven plays and went 80 yards.
Cook rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries against Clemson’s fifth-ranked defense, the first time a running back has rushed for 150 yards on a Brent Venables defense at Clemson.
The Seminoles lead 10-6 at the break.
Clemson seemed befuddled for much of the opening half, especially quarterback Deshaun Watson. Though he did complete 12 of 21 passes for 124 yards, he missed Charone Peake on the opening drive. He later over threw a wide open Wayne Gallman on a blitz pickup which would have easily gone for a touchdown.
With the Tigers driving late in the second quarter and the ball on the FSU seven-yard line, he clocked the ball on third-and-three following his own 4-yard run on the previous play.
Greg Huegel connected on a 23-yard field goal with 29 seconds left to cap the eight-play, 75-yard drive. Huegel also made a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Clemson had 210 yards on total offense in the opening half with tight end Jordan Leggett leading the way with four catches for 75 yards.
Florida State leads Clemson 10-6 at halftime.
Clemson’s Greg Huegel makes a 25-yard field goal to cut the score to 10-6 with 0:29 left in the first half. The scoring drive was eight plays, 75 yards.
Florida State takes a 10-3 lead with 10:59 to play in the second quarters thanks to a 23-yards Roberto Aguayo. The scoring drive was 10 plays, 69 yards and took 5:16 off the clock. Running back Dalvin Cook has 137 yards and is averaging 19.6 yards per kick.
Greg Huegel gets Clemson’s on the scoreboard with a 31-yard field goal. The scoring drive was seven plays, 44 yards and took 2:07 off the clock. The Key play was a 25-yard pass to tight end Jordan Leggett. There is 1:15 left in the first quarter.
Not much for Clemson on its first possession. The Tigers get a Wayne Gallman first down, but on third-and-nine, Deshaun Watson overthrew Charone Peake.
Wow! Dalvin Cook just went 75 yards for a touchdown. The ankle and the hamstring looked just fine. That was the longest run against Clemson this year. FSU leads 7-0 with 14:15 to play in the first quarter.
Clemson ran down the Hill as the No. 1 team in the country.
Watson, Scott, Lawson, and Kearse are the captains for Clemson today.
Florida State is getting the ball first. Clemson won the toss and deferred to the second half.
The top-ranked Clemson Tigers will host No. 16 Florida State today 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.
Watson Second in Nation. Deshaun Watson is second in the nation in QBR. Watson had a passing efficiency rating of 238.91 last week at NC State which is the best in Clemson history with more than 30 attempts. It was also the best for an FBS QB last week with more than 30 attempts.
Golson returns to Death Valley. This won’t be Golson’s first game in Death Valley. He played their in a state championship for Myrtle Beach.
Top Two ACC Running Backs on Display. The top two ACC running backs will be on display Saturday afternoon in Death Valley. Dalvin Cook leads the ACC in rushing with 148.1 yards per game. Wayne Gallman is second with an average of 109.2. Gallman has 874 yards already this season.
Clemson Offense on Record Pace the Last Four Games. The Tigers have average 47.8 points the last four games, 564.8 yards per game and 7.05 yards per play in wins over Georgia Tech, Boston College, Miami and NC State. Two of those four teams have been ranked in the top ten in defense.
One of National Leaders. Clemson ranks seventh in the nation in scoring margin entering this game. Clemson averages 40.6 points per game and only gives up 17.6 or a scoring margin of 23 points per game. Baylor leads the nation in that stat with 36 points per game.