Last week, Clemson’s defense let the squad down a bit, allowing North Carolina State to look like a Big 12 offense.
When the Tigers needed their defense to take over in an ugly contest to keep playoff hopes alive against Florida State on Saturday, the group did not disappoint and allowed Dabo Swinney to dance again.
As a result, the Tigers are one of the clubhouse leaders in the chase for a College Football Playoff spot. Given the composition of their schedule, the Tigers are an excellent bet to be undefeated heading into the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 5. Clemson should enter Thanksgiving and then early December with legitimate dreams of an unbeaten season for the first time since the school won it all in 1981.
This win marks the latest threshold Clemson has crossed under Swinney, who continues to show how much he’s grown as a coach since the dark days of 2010, when the Tigers were leaving money on the table.
Clemson doesn’t leave opportunities unclaimed these days, even when its offense isn’t functioning at full power.
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When Dalvin Cook went 75 yards for a score on the second play of scrimmage 45 seconds into the game, it looked like this clash was going to become another episode of “Same Ole Florida State and Clemson,” one in which the Seminoles always make the defining plays and leave the Tigers fuming.
Cook also had a long run on his second carry and posted 111 yards in his first two carries. Additionally, over 10 percent of Cook’s rush attempts this season (heading into Saturday) had been plays of over 20 yards. It looked like the Tigers were going into the fetal position again in a huge moment. However, the defense punched back and led Clemson on a night when Heisman candidate Deshaun Watson was up and down. Much of this was also made even more difficult with an injury to all-ACC defensive lineman Shaq Lawson in the first half.
What turned this game in the Tigers’ direction? In 19 other carries, Cook gained just under 100 yards. That number still looks gaudy, but Clemson rose up when it needed to. This was the case on a fourth-and-one play midway through the fourth quarter when the defense held and stuffed Cook. Sure, the call to run outside was questionable, but the Tigers made the play and outworked Florida State’s offensive line, a reality seen throughout the second half. The Clemson defense held Cook to to just over 40 yards in the second half, clamping down during crunch time.
On the offensive side, while Watson was so-so, as mentioned above, he made special plays when the team needed them. He didn’t hurt his Heisman candidacy. Watson finished with 297 through the air and 110 on the ground. It was quiet, but Clemson doesn’t move the ball at all if not for his versatility and poise. Watson turned a number of screen plays into first downs by waiting for the right window to develop on the throw. He could have forced passes, but he waited an extra second or two to fit the ball into the target. This is a rare skill, and Watson is a rare player. His 60-minute body of work wasn’t remarkable, but his fourth-quarter composure carried a value far beyond numbers.
Last week, Clemson was nearly solely reliant on Watson. However, on Saturday, the defense gave him some help when he needed it the most. This allows the Tigers to remain the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff chase.
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Let’s step back and size up this game in broader terms:
The biggest issue for Clemson in the game and going forward is the mess of its special teams. The punting was horrendous much of the night, and the kick coverage was not much better. That could re-emerge later on in the season, possibly in Charlotte against the ACC Coastal champion.
Florida State’s quarterback play resided on the other end of the spectrum. If Everett Golson was healthy, one has to wonder why Jimbo Fisher stuck with the ineffective Sean Maguire. The ‘Noles’ signal caller completed just over half his passes and allowed the Tiger defense to lock in on stopping Cook late, which proved to be huge.
Early, the game had the same feel of the 51-14 beatdown of unbeaten Clemson in 2013, the last time Florida State visited Death Valley. Saturday, the Tigers refused to do some “Clemsoning” again. This is further proof that Swinney has done more than just build a single team; he has built a new confidence and a culture of success in his program.
In one month, Clemson could taste enough success to be the top-seeded team in the College Football Playoff.
