By Will Vandervort
CLEMSON — The way Jimbo Fisher looks at it, his fourth-ranked Florida State Seminoles have a bigger challenge against No. 10 Clemson then what the so-called experts are saying.
As of Thursday night, the Seminoles (3-0, 1-0) are a 14-point favorite over Clemson, which for the most part has disturbed the Tigers this week. But, FSU’s head coach sees that a little bit differently and he is making sure his players are not buying into all the hype.
“We’re looking forward to a challenge,” Fisher said. “Clemson has got a phenomenal ball club. They are very well-coached. Dabo (Swinney) has done a tremendous job with their program, and it should be an exciting weekend.”
Clemson (3-0) wants to make sure it is not an exciting weekend for the folks in Tallahassee, Fla., and to do that it will have to find ways to score on a defense that has yielded three total points in three games, while slowing down an offense that has produced 176.
“They are as advertised,” Swinney said. “They are a very, very talented football team.”
Florida State is loaded with talent. There is no denying that. At quarterback they are led by 6-foot-5, 238-pound senior E.J. Manuel, who many feel is the best quarterback in the ACC. Then there is running back Chris Thompson, who rushed for 197 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 74 and 80 yards in the ‘Noles 52-0 victory over Wake Forest.
Senior Rodney Smith (6-6, 219) is Manuel’s top target, hauling in two scores already this season and is averaging 16.6 yards per catch. Then there is Kenny Shaw (two TDs), Kelvin Benjamin (two TDs) and Rashad Greene, who had eight catches for 98 yards in last year’s game at Clemson.
Greene is also an excellent punt returner, and is responsible for bringing two all the way back already this year, while averaging 19.6 yards per return.
“Offensively, they are explosive. They have made a ton of explosive plays,” Swinney said. “Wake Forest is a team that we have a ton of respect for, and (FSU) had a ton of explosive plays against those guys in the kicking game, rushing the ball and throwing the ball. They did it in everything.”
The Seminoles also do it on defense, too. Florida State ranks first nationally in rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, passing yards defense, total defense and most importantly, scoring defense.
“They are the number one ranked defense in the country and they have only allowed one point a game,” Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris said. “An opponent has only got in the red zone three times on them. They are extremely fast and aggressive up front. They are going to press you up and get in your face out on the edge and disrupt your route running, while trying to get pressure with their four down guys.
“It’s a group that is full of veterans. They are a year older and they are playing really, really well.”
It all starts with defensive end Bjoern Werner, who is second in the country and leads the ACC in sacks (6) and tackles for a loss (9). The linebackers are led by Vince Williams, while corner Xavier Rhodes and safety Lamarcus Joyner anchor the secondary.
“Accuracy is going to be a key in this game” Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd said. “They can fly out there. They can move. They can cover ground really fast and they get to their areas really fast. My decisions have to be a little bit quicker, but I’m up for the challenge. It is going to be fun.”
Boyd had a lot of fun last year against FSU. The Tigers’ quarterback threw for 344 yards, while completing 22 of 35 passes with three touchdowns and one rushing score. Two of those scores went to wideout Sammy Watkins, including a 62-yard bomb in which the then freshman called his own play, noticing how the FSU corners were jumping on Clemson’s quick slants.
Watkins made a quick move inside and then bounced outside, leaving Joyner in his dust on his way to the end zone.
“(The Seminoles) are a really fast team, but I have some guys from Florida on my squad, too, you know,” Boyd said. “It is going to be fun. I’m definitely excited about it.”