Not many people expected Clemson to come into this week four matchup against Florida State Seminoles as the underdog.
But both teams had season-defining moments in week one; FSU defeated LSU in a rout, and Clemson upset loss to Duke. Three weeks later, the Tigers had more momentum than the Seminoles, who barely escaped Boston College.
Clemson’s defensive coordinator, Wes Goodwin, has enough film to build a solid game plan to stifle Florida State’s offense.
Something common in Florida State’s three wins is they start slow. In week one, they struggled in the first half before scoring 31 points in the second half. Last week, they struggled to build a 17-10 lead going into halftime.
Florida State’s offense currently averages 47 points a game, led by Jordan Travis. Stopping an offense with this much scoring ability can catch flame at any time.
Finding the weak spot is tricky.
The running game is wide-open, with multiple backs that can gash a defense, and Travis spreads the ball around in the passing game.
So where should Goodwin attack one of the most balanced offenses in the country?
It’s not a specific area Goodwin should focus on. Instead, the Clemson defense has to get on top of the Noles early. Make this offense uncomfortable from the opening kickoff.
If you go back to last season’s game, the Tigers held the Noles to 14 points in the first half. Desperation and home-field energy helped the Noles put up 14 points in the fourth quarter, but it was too late.
The offense has been the focal point for the season, but a victory against the Noles will come from a great performance by the defense, who’s been lights out so far this season.