A dominant performance in the “Middle Eight” – the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half – keyed fourth-ranked Clemson’s 34-28 victory over Florida State on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.
Clemson (7-0, 5-0 ACC) grabbed all the momentum at the end of the first half and carried it right over to the start of the second half, taking control of the game in the Middle Eight en route to the win over the Seminoles.
The Tigers scored 10 points in a 1:32 span to end the second quarter, then scored another touchdown just 19 seconds into the third quarter to give them 17 points in the Middle Eight.
Clemson grabbed its first lead of the game at 17-14 on a 47-yard field goal from B.T. Potter with 1:51 left in the first half.
Then, on FSU’s ensuing possession, Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy forced a Florida State turnover on a strip-sack of FSU quarterback Jordan Travis, with defensive tackle Tyler Davis recovering the fumble.
Three plays later, Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei’s 5-yard keeper with 19 seconds left in the second quarter gave Clemson its first two-possession lead of the night at 24-14.
After the break, the Tigers began the second half with a bang.
Clemson received the opening kickoff, which Will Shipley returned 69 yards to the FSU 31. On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Clemson ran a reverse flea flicker, and Uiagalelei found tight end Davis Allen streaking down the sideline for a 31-yard touchdown.
That score — Uiagalelei’s third touchdown pass of the night — gave the Tigers a 31-14 lead just 19 seconds into the second half, a lead Clemson was able to hang onto despite a late fourth-quarter rally by the Seminoles.
The Middle Eight comparison between Clemson and Florida State (4-3, 2-3) was really no comparison.
Clemson put up 17 points in the Middle Eight, compared to FSU’s zero. The Tigers had 118 total yards on 15 plays in the Middle Eight, while the Seminoles recorded only 48 total yards on 11 plays in that timeframe.
The Middle Eight being a difference-maker for Clemson in Saturday’s game against the Seminoles continued a trend for the Tigers this season.
Clemson entered Saturday’s game having recorded 52 points in the Middle Eight over the first six games this season, with its opponents having only tallied 26 – good for a plus-26 point differential for the Tigers, which they improved to plus-43 with their performance in the Middle Eight against the Seminoles.
Clemson will return to action next Saturday against Syracuse at Death Valley. Kickoff is set for noon on ABC.
Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce limited edition signed cards from the freshmen football players are now in our online store. There are only 100 of each signed.
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