Clemson at Florida State 2014: QB Jameis Winston Suspended

The game was a Top 25 matchup. No. 1 and defending national champion Florida State hosting No. 22 Clemson in Week 3 of the 2014 season.

In his first two games of the 2014 season, Heisman Trophy winner and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston had thrown for 626 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions.

However, during game week prep for Clemson, Winston got himself suspended for one game for loud, inappropriate comments and gestures he made at the Student Union on campus.

Backup quarterback Sean McGuire was named the starter by coach Jimbo Fisher.

However, Winston tried to have the last word. Thinking he would not be suspended, Winston dressed out for the game and participated in pre-game warmups anyway.

Winston’s immaturity and entitlement were on full display. It was not a good look.

Fisher saw Winston warming up, and a heated discussion followed. Winston was banished to the locker room to take off his pads.

Without Winston running the offense, the Seminoles quickly found themselves down 10-3 to Clemson at halftime.

In the second half, however, the Seminoles stormed back on a 74-yard touchdown pass from McGuire to Rashad Greene to tie the game at 17-17.

Florida State won the game in overtime 23-17 to remain undefeated. McGuire threw for 304 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Seminoles finished the season 13-1 and No. 5 in the final AP Poll, with their lone loss coming in the Rose Bowl, a 59-20 defeat to Oregon.

Winston’s stat line for that season read like this: 3,907 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.

Needless to say, that 2014 season was a departure for Winston from his 2013 campaign when he won the Heisman: 4,057 yards, 40 TDs, and 10 interceptions.

Winston went on to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 NFL Draft. He is currently now a backup to J.J. McCarthy with the New York Giants.

Under head coach Mike Norvell, Florida State is 1-4 against Clemson. Florida State has beaten Clemson only twice since 2014, the last time the Seminoles beat Clemson in Tallahassee.

On Saturday, there will be no Winston quarterbacking the Seminoles. No top five finish.

There will be Ashton Daniels running the Seminoles offense and battling ghosts of Clemson teams of the past.

This season, Daniels has thrown six times as many touchdown passes (12) as the entire quarterback room of Clemson (2). It is the worst quarterback play in the Dabo Swinney era.

According to Vegas Insider, Clemson is a -1.5-point road favorite under the lights at Doak S. Campbell Stadium Saturday night.