Keys to Victory: No. 2 Clemson at Florida State

For nine consecutive seasons, the winner of the Clemson - Florida State game has played for the ACC Championship. Clemson enters undefeated and has eyes on another trip to Charlotte in early December and the Seminoles would like nothing more than to knock off the Tigers.

Clemson's defensive line should have a chance to feast later today as FSU has had a difficult time keeping quarterback Diondre Francois upright. 

After running for 471 yards against Wake Forest prior to a bye week and returning from the open date to throw for 380 yards against NC State, Clemson's explosive offense has garnered national attention for the duo of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne.

Arguably the unit's most silent but steady contributor will be in the spotlight this week, as All-America left tackle Mitch Hyatt is expected to become the first position player in Clemson history to start 50 career games. Hyatt's 50th career start this week would put him only two starts shy of kicker Chandler Catanzaro's team record of 52 career starts.

The Match Up:

Clemson (7-0, 4-0) at Florida State (4-3, 2-3)

Clemson vs. Florida State 2017 Highlights:

Clemson vs. Florida 2016 Highlights:

All-Time Series:

Florida State leads: 20-11
at Clemson:  Florida State leads 8-7
at Florida State: Florida State leads 12-4
Neutral: Tigers leads 8-1
Last Meeting: Clemson won 31-14 in 2017 
Last Florida State win: 23-14 in 2014
Last 10 Meetings: 5-5 
Streak: Clemson has won three in a row and looks to become the first ACC team to win four straight in conference play against the Seminoles.

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Stat of the Week:

Clemson entered the week as the only program in the country in the Top 10 in both total offense (522.4, ninth) and total defense (266.3, fourth). Clemson's 256.1-yard average yardage differential is second-best in the country, less than a half-yard behind Alabama (+256.4).

Clemson is also attempting to hold a third consecutive opponent to single digits in points for the first time since the first three games of the 2000 season. Clemson has held Wake Forest and NC State to three and seven points, respectively, in its last two games.

© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Key 1: Pick Up the Blitz

Two weeks ago, we saw what happens when a team tries to sit back in coverage, as the running game obliterated Wake Forest. Last weekend, we saw what happens when a team stacks the box in anticipation of the running game, as Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 308 yards on 26 completions. 

This week? Expect to see Florida State send the house after the freshman quarterback. The Seminoles may be struggling this year, but they still have talent and speed on defense, and they'll want to utilize it to rattle the young buck. How Clemson's line and scheme handles that will go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.`

Justin Falcinelli's absence should be noted as Clemson will have to shift Gage Cervenka to center and trims the depth of the offensive line for the Tigers.

Key 2: Don't Let Them Hang Around

Clemson's coaching staff has been preaching all week about how talented Florida State is, and how the  Seminoles' 4-3 record doesn't matter. They're not wrong, as Florida State is a consistent top-five team in terms of recruiting. While they have had some issues this season, they still have players that can make life miserable for the Tigers and help to give their own team some life. Clemson needs to start fast and put the 'Noles away early, or they risk letting a struggling, but talented, team gain confidence. On the road, that's a dangerous proposition for the Tigers. 

© John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports

Key 3: Control the Line 

Florida State's offensive line this season has been, in a word, bad. They rank 84th in sacks allowed at 2.57 per game and 127th in tackles for loss allowed, giving up 8.71 per game. These are numbers that Clemson needs to be able to take advantage of today. The Tigers aren't quite themselves regarding sacks this season (23rd, 3.00 per game), and they need to remedy that by taking advantage of a porous Florida State pass protection. Deondre Francois is a talented quarterback, and if the Tigers can't get pressure, he can find ways to keep the 'Noles in the game.

Prediction:

On paper, these two teams should be pretty equal, but right now the Tigers have a different mentality than most teams in college football. Very few programs play with the confidence that the Tigers bring to the table week after week, and why shouldn't they? Clemson's squad is a group that's played in the biggest games, in the most significant moments, and against the best teams for nearly four seasons.

Florida State, on the other hand, seems to carry loads of self-doubt and have been known to fall apart recently at the first sign of adversity. 

If Clemson comes in and punches the Seminoles in the gut, you can expect this game to get ugly as the Tigers' wave of positive momentum will overwhelm the 'Noles, but if FSU is allowed to fight, the Tigers could be in for a slugfest in Tallahassee.

We tend to think Clemson's just too good for the Seminoles and we expect the Tigers to win comfortably later today. Florida State might be the biggest challenge Clemson has left on their schedule, and if they give the Seminoles the attention they deserve, it shouldn't be close. 

Final Score Predictions: 

Perfect Prediction = 5 points              Best Prediction = 3 Points         Correct Prediction = 1 Point 

**Pick of the Week: Indicates the best prediction given for that game.