Maligned Seminoles Defense vs. Horrendous Clemson Offense

The Florida State Seminoles (3-4) defense has given up 40+ points in each of their last two games, both losses. Clemson (4-3) has not thrown a touchdown pass since September.

The adage “bend, don’t break” is not in the lexicon of the Florida State defense. Not this season, anyway.

Saturday night, the Seminoles defense will have an opportunity to put that belief to rest as Clemson brings a downright painful-to-watch offense into Doak Campbell Stadium.

Under beleaguered offensive coordinator Chad Morris, the Tigers have the stench of a team that is dead last in the ACC in total offense at 333 yards per game.

Clemson has scored 30 points or more only once this season, a 37-0 victory over Charleston Southern. In each of their three losses, they have scored 16 points or fewer.

They are coming off a 20-16 loss to Virginia Tech, a game in which the Tigers still did not throw a touchdown pass. Clemson gained 288 yards of total offense.

It is not a god look when the Tigers have thrown more interceptions (5) than they have TD passes (2). Clemson’s two TD passes this season marks the fewest in the Dabo Swinney era.

Of course, it is hard to have outstanding quarterback play when your offensive line cannot pass protect.

Quarterbacks cannot find the end zone when they are lying underneath a heap of humanity.

Clemson is ranked among the worst in the FBS (No. 124) in sacks allowed with 21 so far this season, an average of three per game.

The Florida State defense has given up 400+ yards of total offense five times this season, including 443 yards in the two-overtime loss to Miami.

Clemson is nowhere near the caliber of team of Miami.

As a result, the Florida State defenders should manhandle the Tigers at the line of scrimmage.

The Clemson quarterbacks should be running for their lives and have that 1000-yard stare as they are looking up from under that pile of humanity.

Against Clemson, Florida State has a garnet and golden opportunity to make a statement and to dominate an opponent for the first time since their 38-7 victory over Virginia.

That would be nice considering the Seminoles have recorded just two sacks over their last two games against Louisville and Miami.

It has been a tough stretch for the Seminoles over the past two and half seasons, with a 10-21 record since the start of the 2024 season. They have won only four ACC games over that stretch.

This week of preparation will dictate how the rest of the season will go.

Can the Seminoles defense dominate Clemson and earn just their fifth conference win since 2024?

That remains to be seen.