Clemson will stay on the road Saturday for another ACC Atlantic Division clash with Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium. A win would help the Tigers take a commanding lead atop the division standings with more than half of their conference slate in the books.
What does Clemson need to do to ensure that happens? Here are three keys:
Keep Jordan Travis contained
FSU’s offense is operating differently in Travis’ second season as the Seminoles’ quarterback. Last year, Travis was FSU’s second-leading rusher. This season, Travis is averaging less than five carries per game.
Still, while FSU’s junior signal caller has developed to the point that he’s looking to throw more often than run, the ability for the speedy Travis to make things happen when the play breaks down always exists. It’s Clemson’s job to make sure Travis isn’t able to make something out of nothing with his legs.
Clemson did that as well as anybody a season ago when the Tigers held FSU to just 1.9 yards per carry in a win at Memorial Stadium. Travis had 16 rushing attempts in the game, but five of those were sacks as the Tigers rarely let him break contain. His longest run against Clemson a season ago was 12 yards.
It goes without saying that keeping Travis in the pocket also increases the chances of him having to throw the ball. FSU’s passing offense ranks in the top 50 nationally, so he’s been better at that this season. The key to the Seminoles’ offensive success, though, has been balancing it out with a running game that helps take some of the pressure off Travis and his receivers.
Travis is averaging 26 pass attempts this season and hasn’t attempted more than 35 in any game so far. He’s still thrown six interceptions, so if Clemson can take away the running game and force FSU to throw more than it’s accustomed to, that would bode well for the Tigers and their chances of forcing the Seminoles’ offense into some mistakes. Just like week, Travis was intercepted twice on 30 pass attempts in a loss at NC State.
But that has to start with a repeat performance of bottling up FSU’s dynamic quarterback.
Play the ball
Another reason FSU’s offense has been better in the passing game is some new receivers who figure to be the latest test for Clemson’s patchwork secondary.
The Seminoles’ top three wideouts have already combined for 60 catches and eight touchdowns. Two of them, Johnny Wilson and Mycah Pittman, are newcomers who transferred in this offseason. When it comes to matchups, Wilson is quite literally the biggest problem for opposing defenses.
Wilson, who played last season at Arizona State, stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 230 pounds. He’s averaging 19.9 yards per reception. And knowing Clemson’s secondary has had its struggles in man coverage at times this season, it would be surprising if FSU doesn’t try to use its size and speed out wide to pick on a group of cornerbacks that’s still trying to get whole.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney continues to list senior Sheridan Jones (stinger) as day to day while another veteran corner, Malcolm Greene (undisclosed), dressed out against Boston College but didn’t play. If they’re out again Saturday, the onus falls on youngsters such as Nate Wiggins and true freshmen Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus to help slow the Seminoles down through the air, which will require better technique and making more plays on the ball in one-on-one matchups.
The secondary has been better since that debacle against Wake Forest late last month, allowing less than 233 passing yards on average the last two weeks. But it will need to be even better this week against the best group of wideouts it’s seen since.
Find some running lanes
FSU is allowing the 14th-fewest passing yards in America, which, on the surface, is impressive. A closer look, though, shows some contributing factors to that.
Opposing offenses have only attempted 172 passes against the Seminoles, fourth-fewest in the ACC. Why? Because they’ve had success moving the ball on the ground. The Seminoles have had to defend 235 rushes to this point, third-most in the league.
FSU’s run defense hasn’t exactly gotten gouged on the ground (3.97 yards per carry allowed), but the Seminoles have had a difficult time offering consistent resistance to it without Fabien Lovett, one of FSU’s top interior defensive linemen who’s been hampered by a leg injury. It’s an area Clemson’s offense needs to exploit.
The question is can they?
The Tigers’ ground game has been a mixed bag so far. Clemson is slightly ahead of last year’s pace in the running game (170.5 yards per game) thanks in large part to more than 400 combined rushing yards against Louisiana Tech and Wake Forest. But Clemson has rushed for 145 or less the last two weeks. Will Shipley averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last week against Boston College.
Making matters worse is the loss of Kobe Pace, who will miss at least a few games with an ankle sprain. But D.J. Uiagalelei has been featured heavily in Clemson’s rushing attack all season and led the Tigers in rushing last week. Look for that to continue in Pace’s absence.
If Clemson can get the running game going, that would further open up shot plays in the passing game. But the Tigers have to give FSU’s defense a reason to creep closer to the line of scrimmage.
Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.
Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!
