Saturday’s game against Florida State was a spooky one the night before Halloween. The game was a monster mash of willpower as the teams battled back and forth as Clemson lost the lead in the second quarter, only to regain and then lose it again in the fourth. However, the Tigers proved their Clemson grit, coming back in the final minutes of the game to defeat the Seminoles 30-20 and improve their consecutive home game win streak to 32 wins.
Paws up: Will Shipley dresses up as Superman
No. 1 jerseys are soon to be flying off the shelves at Clemson retailers across the nation.
After freshman running back Will Shipley’s outstanding performance against Florida State on Saturday, it is a safe bet that his likeness will soon be plastered across Tiger gear everywhere.
This was Shipley’s first game back in Death Valley in five weeks, as he hasn’t taken to his home turf since the Tigers defeated Georgia Tech in September. He proved he was more than ready to bounce back from his injury last week against Pittsburgh, and on Saturday he finished with an incredible 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns against FSU.
It was clear from the opening drive that the Tigers would be dependent on Shipley as he was evidently quarterback DJ Uiagalelei’s first choice to hand-off and throw to. The chemistry between Clemson’s two star players is growing as well. In a post-game press conference, Shipley said Uiagalelei was “much more vocal” than he has been in past games.
Head Coach Dabo Swinney said sometimes Shipley has “those big freshman eyes…but that kid is something special.”
Paws down: B.T. Potter spooked by the uprights
Before Saturday’s game, kicker B.T. Potter had missed only one field goal attempt this season. Against Florida State alone, he missed three, making him 8-12 on the season.
While this was a disappointing game for such an experienced kicker, any true Clemson fan knows this was definitely an anomaly for Potter.
One of the three misses was a 49-yard attempt – almost half the field – which would have beat his season-high of 42 yards against Boston College.
When asked about his performance, Swinney praised the senior, saying he knew it was “a mess-up” and admitting that everyone on the team is going to make a mistake at some point.
Swinney also said of the last miss, a routine 30-yard attempt, that Potter admitted “his foot got stuck in the ground”.
“We don’t have five wins if it’s not for B.T., he’s been money for us all year.”
Paws up: Uiagalelei’s confidence
The Uiagalelei who took to the field against the Seminoles was a different monster than the ghost many fans have seen all season.
Uiagalelei came out with much more confidence than in previous games, a feat Swinney attributed to being benched in the third quarter against Pittsburgh. He finished the game 19 for 31 with 189 yards, giving him a 61.3% completion rate.
The sophomore quarterback still made some mistakes. He threw a missile into double-coverage on a play intended for Joseph Ngata that resulted in an interception. However, Swinney and Offensive Coordinator Tony Elliot praised him for his performance.
Swinney mentioned that Uiagalelei’s practice in the week leading up to Saturday’s game proved his grit and determination to better himself.
Paws down: Ghost of a defense in the first half
The first half against the Seminoles was a highly unusual performance for the typically dominant Clemson defense.
The ability of Florida State to slip through holes in the defensive line was surprising to the fans of Death Valley, who on several occasions let out audible gasps as the Seminoles slipped further down the field.
In the first quarter alone, the defense was called offsides four times and more closely resembled a sieve than the impenetrable wall they have otherwise been all season.
It was obvious at halftime that some adjustments were necessary, and Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables more than stepped up when the Tigers took to the field for the third quarter.
A season high of five sacks in a single game was recorded, with Myles Murphy taking credit for two and a half of those, a career high for the sophomore. Murphy was also behind the blocked extra point in the second quarter.
Swinney said, “Defensively I thought we dominated in the second half. I was really disappointed with how we played in the first half.”
He also added that Venables has “got the tools, he’s gonna make the right adjustments” in future games.
Paws up honorable mention: Scorigami
“Scorigami,” a term coined in 2016 by sportswriter Jon Bois, is a unique scoring combination which has never before occurred in a sport or league’s history. The Tigers’ 30-20 victory was one such scorigami for Clemson with yet another added bonus of free Bojangles biscuits for students after the Tigers passed the 28-point mark.
