Clemson heads to Tallahassee on Halloween night with a chance to steady itself in ACC play, but the setup is anything but cozy. The Tigers are traveling to Florida State for a prime-time conference matchup at Doak Campbell Stadium, and the numbers around the game point to a test that could follow a familiar script.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday on the ACC Network, with Wes Durham, Max Browne and Madison Fitzpatrick on the call. Fans can stream the game via ESPN or the ESPN app, while radio coverage will air on 105.5 FM in the Clemson area and satellite radio on Sirius XM Channel 258.
Clemson enters at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC. Florida State is 3-4 and 1-3 in league play. The Seminoles lead the all-time series 21-17, though Clemson has taken the last two meetings.
The betting line has Clemson as a six-point underdog, according to the VegasInsider.com consensus. That’s a spot the Tigers haven’t handled well this season.
They’re 0-2 as an underdog, including a 51-10 loss at LSU and a 41-13 home defeat to Miami. ESPN’s analytics give Florida State a 71.9% chance to win.
Injuries don’t appear to be a major concern for Clemson beyond a few key names. Freshman wide receiver Gordon Sellars III, dealing with a concussion, was the only player from the Tigers’ two-deep depth chart released Monday who also showed up on Wednesday’s initial ACC availability report. Coach Dabo Swinney also said backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina is close to 100% healthy after missing five games with a left elbow fracture.
Florida State, meanwhile, will be without starting cornerback Quindarrius Jones, who has been ruled out. Another defensive back, K.J. Kirkland, is questionable.
The forecast in Tallahassee calls for a “partly cloudy and warm” night, with a low of 67 degrees. AccuWeather lists a 6% chance of thunderstorms and a 25% chance of rain.
On the field, this feels like another game where Clemson is staring at a team with a dangerous offense and a defense that can be attacked through the air. The Tigers already saw a version of that against Virginia Tech and came up short, losing 20-16 even while holding the Hokies to season lows in points and yards.
There’s a clear path for Clemson’s defense to make life hard on Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels, and standout cornerback Ashton Hampton could be in line for a big assignment against Duce Robinson. But that only gets the Tigers so far. Florida State is averaging 31.6 points per game, and Clemson is going to need to score to keep pace.
That’s where things get shaky. Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds and the offense have a theoretical opening against an FSU defense ranked No. 130 nationally in total defense, allowing 434.9 yards per game.
But Clemson’s offense has been stuck, and the problems stretch beyond the fact that the Tigers haven’t thrown a touchdown since Sept. 19.
If Reynolds struggles, it will be worth watching whether Swinney turns to Vizzina for a spark. Even so, the outlook points toward another ACC loss for Clemson.
Score prediction: Florida State 27, Clemson 17
Clemson football schedule
Sept. 5: at No. 11 LSU, L 51-10
Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern, W 22-7
Sept. 19: vs. UNC, W 28-20
Sept. 25 (Friday): at Cal, W, 24-10
Oct. 3: vs. No.
4 Miami, L 41-13
Oct.
10: OPEN
Oct. 17: vs.
Charleston Southern, W 37-0
Oct. 24: vs.
Virginia Tech, L 20-16
Oct. 31: at Florida State, 7 p.m.
(ACC Network)
Nov. 7: at Syracuse, noon (ESPN2)
Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech
Nov. 20 (Friday): at Duke, 7:30 p.m.
(ESPN)
Nov. 28: vs.
South Carolina
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