Florida State and Clemson meet Saturday night in Tallahassee with both programs trying to steady themselves after uneven starts.
The Seminoles will host the Tigers at 7 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium, with the game set for the ACC Network. Wes Durham will handle play-by-play, Max Browne will be on analysis, and Madison Fitzpatrick will work the sideline. The matchup can also be heard on the Seminole Sports Network or on SiriusXM Radio, Channel 179 or 234, or through the app.
Florida State comes in at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Seminoles have dropped two straight, falling 44-20 at Louisville and 43-35 in double overtime at Miami. They had last week off before turning their attention to Clemson.
Mike Norvell leads FSU and enters the game with a 41-38 record in seven seasons in Tallahassee and a 79-53 mark overall in 11 seasons as a head coach.
Clemson arrives at 4-3 and 2-2 in ACC play after a 20-16 home loss to Virginia Tech last weekend. Dabo Swinney remains in charge of the Tigers, where he is 191-56 in 19 seasons and has spent his entire head coaching career.
The series history still favors Florida State, which leads Clemson 21-17 overall. The Seminoles are 12-7 against the Tigers in Doak Campbell Stadium and 18-15 since both schools joined the ACC. Even so, Clemson has controlled the recent meetings, winning the last two and nine of the last 10.
This is the second straight year that neither team enters the matchup ranked in the Top 25 of either poll.
In Other News...
FSU May Be Getting Needed Defensive Help At The Perfect Time
Florida States defense may be getting a timely boost as the Seminoles head into Saturday nights rivalry game with Clemson, a matchup carrying plenty of weight for both sides after recent underperformance. The latest injury update brought some encouraging news, with linebackers Chris Jones and Caleb LaVallee and defensive back Jordan Crutchfield now expected to be available.
The Seminoles also tweaked the status of defensive back K.J. Kirkland and added defensive back Charles Lester III and kicker Conor McAneney to the availability report, leaving a little more clarity but not a full picture just yet. Against a Clemson team dealing with its own pressure, any added depth on defense could matter, especially in a game where Florida State needs to steady itself and make sure the right pieces are on the field when it counts. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Gets A Clemson Test Fans Have Been Waiting On
Halloween night at Doak Campbell Stadium brings the kind of matchup Florida State fans have circled for years, with Clemson coming to Tallahassee for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 31. The Seminoles still hold a 21-17 edge in the all-time series, but the recent history has leaned heavily the other way, with Clemson winning nine of the last 10 meetings.
There will be plenty of attention on quarterback Ashton Daniels and what Florida State can get done under the lights, but the night also carries a ceremonial note. The program is set to recognize Peter Warricks induction into the College Football Hall of Fame during the game, adding another layer to a matchup that already has the feel of an important ACC measuring stick. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Is Turning Clemson Night Into A Much Bigger Doak Event
Florida State is turning its Clemson night into more than just a marquee ACC matchup, with the university rolling out Operation Garnet Storm to give Doak Campbell Stadium a bigger stage before kickoff. The game is set for 7 p.m., but the fan experience will start hours earlier with Halloween activities, military tributes and a celebration of Seminoles legend Peter Warrick, all aimed at making the atmosphere feel like an event from the moment people arrive.
The school is also leaning into the kind of extras that make a home game feel personal, offering fans the chance to buy customized touches such as videoboard messages and on-field access. Add in a drone show and enhanced pyrotechnics, and Florida State is clearly trying to make Clemson night feel less like a standard regular-season date and more like a full-scale Doak showcase. [Read more 🡒]