Clemson walked out of Tallahassee with more than a win on Halloween night. It got a release valve.
After a season of offensive frustration and fresh criticism from last week’s 20-16 loss to Virginia Tech, the Tigers finally put together their most complete performance of 2026 and beat Florida State 36-24 on Oct. 31. The margin was tighter than it looked for a stretch, but Clemson found the answers when it needed them most.
The biggest one came from freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds, who slammed the door with a 79-yard rushing touchdown on third and 12 from the Clemson 21-yard line with a little more than three minutes left. That run, the longest by a Clemson quarterback in program history, turned a tense finish into a finished product. On the next defensive series, Elliott Washington II intercepted Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels in the end zone to seal it.
Clemson (5-3, 3-2 ACC) didn’t dominate the box score - Florida State piled up 415 yards to Clemson’s 351 - but the Tigers were sharper in the moments that mattered. They finished drives, protected the ball and came up with timely stops against a Seminoles team that dropped to 3-5, 1-4.
Early on, it was obvious Clemson had a different gear. The Tigers did something they hadn’t done in 42 days: throw a passing touchdown.
Reynolds connected with tight end Christian Bentancur, who had caught the last Clemson passing touchdown on Sept. 19 against North Carolina, for the first of two first-half scores. Reynolds later hit tight end Olsen-Patt Henry in the red zone for another touchdown, giving him the first multi-touchdown game of his career.
Chad Morris also had his best outing in his first season back with Clemson since 2014. The Tigers opened up the vertical passing game and finished with 189 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and five completions of 15 yards or more.
Florida State did make things uncomfortable late, cutting into a 29-10 Clemson lead in the fourth quarter and turning the game into a one-score battle. But Reynolds’ long touchdown run and Washington’s interception ended the suspense and sent Clemson home above .500 in ACC play.
There was also a major injury scare in the first half. Starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon left after absorbing a hit to the helmet, was carted off and taken by ambulance to Tallahassee Memorial hospital. Dabo Swinney told the ACC Network at halftime that Thurmon was responsive and moving.
The Tigers also controlled the game in a few quieter ways. They had two fewer first downs than Florida State, yet held the ball nearly 10 minutes longer. Their 10 first-quarter points were the most Clemson had scored against a power conference opponent this season.
Jerome Carter III was a difference-maker on defense, recording a sack and an interception in the first half. His father, Jerome Carter Jr., played at Florida State and had one sack and one pick in games at Doak S.
Campbell Stadium. Clemson finished with two sacks overall, from Carter and Sammy Brown, and forced four turnovers.
That total included interceptions by Carter and Washington, plus a fumble forced by Darien Mayo and recovered by Jahiem Lawson. The Tigers did not turn the ball over once.
On special teams, Hauser was perfect, going 5 for 5 on field goals with a long of 50 yards.
For a while, it looked like Clemson’s defense might let Florida State back into it. Then Reynolds took over the final act, rolling out, slipping through traffic and racing 79 yards down the sideline for the kind of play that can define a freshman season. It was his first signature Clemson moment, and it arrived just when the Tigers needed it.
Clemson heads back on the road next weekend to face Syracuse in upstate New York.
In Other News...
Clemson Fans Finally Got The Elyjah Thurmon Update They Needed
Clemson got an anxious moment early in its game against Florida State when left guard Elyjah Thurmon went down after a head-on hit from a Seminoles linebacker. The scene quickly turned from football to concern as Thurmon was stabilized on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital, with his mother accompanying him off the field.
There was at least one encouraging sign before he left the stadium: Thurmon gave a thumbs-up, a small but meaningful indication that he had movement in his extremities. For a Clemson team and fan base that had been holding its breath, it was the kind of update that mattered most in the moment, even as the full extent of the injury remained a concern. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Mike Norvell Backlash Just Turned Into A Public Spectacle
Florida States frustration with Mike Norvell has been building for weeks, but it spilled into a more public form during the game against Clemson when fans displayed a plane banner calling for his firing. The message was misspelled, but the sentiment was unmistakable, and it landed at a moment when the Seminoles are already dealing with a losing record and a run of poor performances that has only sharpened the pressure around the program.
Norvells contract only adds another layer to the situation. He signed an eight-year extension through 2031, and any move to part ways with him would come with a significant buyout and a duty-to-mitigate clause, which means the financial side of any decision would be as complicated as the football side. For a fan base already on edge, the banner was a reminder that the conversation around the Seminoles is no longer happening quietly. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Took A Scary O-Line Hit Against Florida State
Clemsons offensive line took a troubling blow against Florida State on Oct. 31 when starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon went down after a hit on a run play and had to be carted off the field. Thurmon was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for further evaluation after sustaining a head injury, a moment that immediately shifted attention from the game itself to the health of one of the Tigers key front-line pieces.
Dabo Swinney offered a small bit of relief at halftime, saying Thurmon was responsive and moving, but the injury still leaves Clemson waiting for more clarity on a lineman who had been anchoring the left side. For a team that leans on stability up front, any scare involving a starter in the middle of a physical conference game is the kind of development that lingers well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]