Clemson football has a long history of respecting their opponents post-game, win or lose. Florida State, based on comments from previous players, does not.
Last season, former Seminole quarterback Jordan Travis — who had one of his worst completion percentages of his senior campaign against the Tigers — said, “They were disrespecting me a little bit. I don’t think they believed I could make those throws, and I’m glad it ended like that.”
Head coach Dabo Swinney said in response, “He’s a great player, amazing player. We’re trying to win the game. I mean, this kid, he can really, really run, and we felt like it gave us the best chance to create some pressure on him and not let him just sit there and hold the ball and pick us apart with some zone stuff.”
Though Travis is no longer with the Seminoles, the sentiment he set remains with the team. Take everything personally, assume the worst of every opponent and discount their praises. It comes as no surprise that 29 players entered the transfer portal following the culmination of the 2023 campaign — the team is not built on camaraderie but rather on individual success.
Swinney’s program, on the other hand, has built a reputation for the exact opposite. Swinney famously avoids the portal, instead choosing to continue building and developing the young men he recruited out of high school. As Mike Norvell scrambled to rebuild a cohesive team with transfer pieces from across the country, Swinney remained committed to his roster, and the results show.
“Football is hard. It’s a hard game. A few plays here or there can affect the confidence of a team,” he said of the Seminoles earlier this week. “Everyone is surprised with where their record is.”
“Any time you play good teams, especially if you’re not playing with the type of confidence you need, it can go the other way,” he continued.
In the weeks, even months, leading up to the game, the main storyline focused on former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei playing under center against old teammates. Since the announcement that Uiagalelei will not be playing on Saturday, the redshirt senior has faced scrutiny for what some interpret as backing out. Swinney, however, accepts no criticism of the five-star he recruited out of high school.
“It is not Clemson versus DJ. We are playing Florida State. I do not get caught up on all the narratives and all of that stuff. I just try to get the team ready to play.”
Uiagalelei’s broken finger did not have an impact on Norvell’s choice for QB1 against the Tigers.
“In all reality, I was going to make a change anyway to give Brock (Glenn) an opportunity,” he said.
The Tigers have limited tape on the Seminole’s freshman signal-caller. It’s difficult to tell where he stands, as he averaged a 12.7 rating in regular-season play last year but has since had time to develop under the same coaching staff.
When asked what he’s seen of Glenn thus far, Swinney said, “Not much. He played the last part of the SMU game and you got a chance to see him against Louisville in the ACC Championship game. They had some wildcats as well in that ACC Championship game. I would expect some of that as well if they’re down a guy at quarterback. He’s a good player, but we don’t have a lot of tape on him.”
No Clemson fan will soon forget just how the Tigers fell to No. 4 Florida State last year when a strip sack from current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Kalen DeLoach and a swift run to the end zone ended the game 31-24 in overtime. At that point, Clemson was suffering from a turnover bug that many struggled to compute as anything but repeated freak accidents.
The plague has been cured this year. The Tigers have had four forced fumbles in as many games, in addition to six interceptions, thanks to stellar defensive performers Wade Woodaz, Avieon Terrell and T.J. Parker. The defense has been so dominant, in fact, that starters have only been playing two or three quarters in recent games.
The Seminole offense has struggled to produce this season, with four touchdowns and six interceptions through five games. Clemson’s powerful defensive unit is expected to shut down any hopes of revival either on the ground or in the air thanks to exceptional depth and talent, both old and new.
Florida State’s leading rusher, Lawrance Toafili, has struggled to move through opposing offensive lines with an average of 4.8 yards per carry. Phil Mafah has nearly double this, with an average of 8.0 yards per carry and 342 total.
Their secondary appears to be one of the few consistencies that have carried over from last season, with defensive back Shyheim Brown tallying 36 tackles thus far and the Florida State defense as a whole marking up 13 pass deflections.
However, Clemson has proved they are no longer scared of sending long shots downfield in coverage. Quarterback Cade Klubnik has had multiple games with 50-plus yard drives and has thrown 12 touchdown passes in four games compared to 19 all of last year.
Doak Campbell Stadium is never an easy environment to play in, but Clemson has all the tools necessary to dominate the Seminoles. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
