Florida State’s 2014 showdown with Clemson had all the ingredients of a heavyweight fight, but the Seminoles had to start it without the player who usually drove the whole show.
The matchup landed in Week 3 with No. 1 and defending national champion Florida State hosting No. 22 Clemson. Jameis Winston had already been rolling early that season, piling up 626 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions over his first two games.
Then came the suspension. During game-week preparation for Clemson, Winston was held out for one game after loud, inappropriate comments and gestures he made at the Student Union on campus. Coach Jimbo Fisher turned to backup Sean McGuire, who was named the starter.
Winston, though, tried to make his own statement. Believing he would not be suspended, he suited up and joined pregame warmups anyway. Fisher spotted him, a heated exchange followed, and Winston was sent back to the locker room to remove his pads.
Florida State felt the absence quickly. Without Winston steering the offense, the Seminoles trailed 10-3 at halftime.
But the second half flipped the script. McGuire connected with Rashad Greene on a 74-yard touchdown pass to pull Florida State even at 17-17.
The game itself was an overtime thriller, with Winston reduced to a cheerleader on the sideline. Florida State finished that season 13-1 and No. 5 in the final AP Poll, with its only loss coming in the Rose Bowl, a 59-20 defeat to Oregon.
Winston’s final numbers that year were 3,907 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He later became the No. 1 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 NFL Draft and is currently a backup to J.J. McCarthy with the New York Giants.
In Other News...
Florida State Basketball Faces A Test Luke Loucks Cant Buy Away
Florida State heads into the season with a roster spending estimate somewhere between $7.1 million and $9.9 million, a figure that sits well below the $13.5 million average for Power Five programs and Gonzaga. In the current college basketball economy, that gap matters, and it puts a premium on every evaluation decision the Seminoles make as they try to keep pace with deeper-pocketed programs across the sport.
Still, Luke Loucks has already shown that money does not have to define the ceiling. Florida State beat Auburn and LSU in preseason games despite those SEC programs spending more, and that is the kind of early evidence the Seminoles need if they are going to stay relevant in the ACC race. The real test will come in how well Loucks continues to identify and develop those post-hype sleepers, because that is the path that could keep Florida State in the NCAA tournament conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Duce Robinson Suddenly Carries A Huge Burden For Florida State
Florida State came out of its bye week trying to steady itself for a Week 9 trip to Clemson, and the timing of the pause could hardly have been more important. Recent injuries to running backs Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. have forced the Seminoles to adjust on the fly, with more of the offensive burden shifting toward the passing game and the players who can help keep it moving.
Duce Robinson now looms larger in that plan. The senior wide receiver has flashed at times this season, and Florida State is expected to lean on him more heavily while also working in other targets such as Jayvan Boggs. The Seminoles also have to be careful with quarterback Jordan Traviss rushing usage because of injury concerns, which only adds to the pressure on Robinson to help carry the offense into a difficult conference test. [Read more 🡒]
FSUs Clemson Push Says A Lot About The Doak Problem
Florida State is trying to turn the Clemson game into more than just another ACC date. The school announced Operation Garnet Storm for the Oct. 31 matchup at Doak Campbell Stadium, layering in Halloween activities, concession specials, a halftime drone show and a ticket promotion that also covers the NC State game through Oct. 25 as the Seminoles look for ways to make the home atmosphere feel bigger.
The push says plenty about where things stand on game day in Tallahassee. Attendance at Florida State home games has dropped from last season, and the university is clearly leaning on extra entertainment and discounted seats to spark more interest as Clemson comes to town. Whether that kind of promotion can shift the mood around Doak is the question hanging over the effort. [Read more 🡒]