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Gameday Central: Florida State Seminoles vs. #15 Clemson Tigers previews, predictions, how to watch

Twenty-two players have made their FSU debut this season, including eight starters and six true freshmen

By FrankDNole
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 28 Florida State at SMU Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Florida State Seminoles (1-4, 1-3 ACC) will face the 15th-ranked Clemson Tigers (3-1, 2-0 ACC) tonight in Doak Campbell Stadium in an ACC matchup of two teams headed in opposite directions. The kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

Clemson’s .818 winning percentage (37-8) on the road since 2015 is the fourth-best road winning percentage in the nation, and their 36 road wins in that span are the third-most in the country.

FSU’s anemic offense is averaging just 15.2 points per game which ranks 126th in the FBS, their 278.2 offensive yards per game rank 125th and has yet to break 300 yards in a game, their 213 passing yards per game rank 86th, are averaging just 65.2 yards per game rushing, have been penalized 31 times for 254 yards, have scored only 8 touchdowns while giving up 8 turnovers, and have yet to score more than 21 points in the 5 games played.

For all the latest updates and more game news and information, check out the all Tomahawk Nation Pre-Game Coverage linked below.

According to FanDuel, the Seminoles are 14.5-point underdogs against the Tigers with the over/under set at 47.5.

FSU now heads into its matchup against the No. 15 Clemson Tigers as a 14.5-point underdog. It’s a reversion back to a trend we saw from 2017-2020, when the Seminoles were 18, 17.5, 26 and 29-point underdogs consecutively to the Tigers (the 2020 game was canceled).

Join us here in each quarter-by-quarter live game thread and show your support, while sharing in all the emotions, excitement, and frustrations, that being a true NOLE is all about.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Clemson Tigers Game Threads

Florida State Seminoles vs. Clemson Tigers

Pre-Game Coverage from Tomahawk Nation

Florida State Seminoles vs. Clemson Tigers: How to watch

Date

  • Saturday, October 5

Time

  • 7:00 p.m. Eastern

Watch/Stream

Listen

FSU Broadcast: CH. 371/SXM App

Florida State vs. Clemson Tigers: Game notes

» Florida State plays its fourth home contest in five games this week when it hosts Clemson. In last season’s matchup at Clemson, the Seminoles ended the Tigers’ 25-game ACC home winning streak that was the longest active streak in the country with a 31-24 overtime victory at Memorial Stadium.

» Warrick Dunn, who in December will become FSU’s 11th College Football Hall of Fame inductee, will be recognized with his National Football Foundation On-Campus Salute during Saturday’s game. Playing in an era before statistics from bowl games counted toward career totals, Dunn became the first player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in three different seasons and left FSU as the program’s career rushing record holder with 3,959 yards. He still holds school records with 22 career 100-yard rushing games, including a school-record streak of six straight 100-yard games in 1995, a single-season yards-per-rush average of 7.5 from 1995 and a career average of 6.9 yards per rush.

» Florida State is 24-8 since the start of the 2022 season. The team’s 24 total wins and 75.0 winning percentage in that span are the best in the ACC, with the win total ranking 11th nationally and the winning percentage 13th.

» The Seminoles rank 7th in the nation with two blocked kicks this season, both by Shyheim Brown. The redshirt junior blocked a 38-yard field goal vs. Cal and a 27-yard field goal at SMU and is one of three players tied for 1st in the country with two blocked kicks this season. Brown, who also blocked the potential game-tying PAT with no time left on the clock in Florida State’s 24-23 win over LSU at the Superdome in 2022, is the sixth player in program history to record multiple career field goal blocks.

» Florida State leads the ACC and ranks 2nd in the country with a net punting average of 47.21 yards per punt. Alex Mastromanno’s average of 49.8 yards per punt is 1st nationally. Last year, FSU was 3rd in the country in net punting.

» Ryan Fitzgerald is one of three kickers in the country with multiple makes from at least 54 yards. He is one of four kickers with three 50-yard field goals in 2024 and the sixth kicker in FSU history with at least three 50-yard field goals in a single season.

» Florida State registered 7.0 sacks in the win over Cal, its most in a game since also having 7.0 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game and the most allowed by the Bears in a game since October 19, 2019. That sack total is also the most by an ACC team against an FBS opponent this season and tied for the 3rd-highest single-game sacks total nationally in 2024.

» Over the past three games, the Seminoles have combined for 28.0 tackles for loss with 13.0 sacks and three takeaways.

» FSU recorded season-high tackles for loss totals in back-to-back games. The Seminoles registered 9.0 TFLs against Memphis before making 12.0 TFLs against Cal, the Seminoles’ most in a game since recording 14.0 TFLs in the 2023 ACC Championship Game win vs. No. 14 Louisville. It was the most TFLs allowed by Memphis since December 27, 2022, and most allowed by Cal in 2024.

» Florida State did not allow a tackle for loss on a running play at SMU, the Seminoles’ first game without a negative-yard rushing play since October 14, 2023, vs. Syracuse. FSU started the same five offensive linemen in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Eight different offensive linemen made at least one start through the season’s first four games, matching last year’s 14-game total.

» Six Florida State players have made their first collegiate start in 2024. Linebacker Blake Nichelson has started each of the last four games, while offensive lineman Jaylen Early has started three consecutive contests. Defensive back K.J. Kirkland started vs. Memphis and vs. Cal, and wide receiver Hykeem Williams started vs. Cal and at SMU. Tight ends Brian Courtney and Jackson West made their first career starts vs. Memphis.

Odds/lines are subject to change. T&Cs apply. For details, see https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/.

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