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The Florida State Seminoles' quest for bowl eligibility took another hit on Saturday, as they fell to the Clemson Tigers 36-24 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The loss was FSU's third in a row and extended Clemson's winning streak at the venue to five games. The Seminoles now stand at 3-5 overall and 1-4 in ACC play, having struggled against one of the conference's weaker offenses.
The Good
Wide receiver Micahi Danzy provided a rare bright spot for Florida State, scoring the team's first points of the game and finishing with 108 receiving yards on four catches and one touchdown. However, the Seminoles' running game was virtually nonexistent, managing just over 60 yards on the ground. Overall, the offense failed to perform at a productive level throughout the contest.
The Bad
Complementary football was absent for much of the game. Neither offense found rhythm in the first half, with both teams opening with consecutive three-and-outs. FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels looked out of sync, and the Seminoles' early attempts to establish the run were unsuccessful. A shaky punting game gifted Clemson early points, and the defense struggled to tackle, allowing Tigers quarterback Tait Reynolds to throw his second and third passing touchdowns of the season, including a four-yard strike to tight end Olsen Pat-Henry. Clemson converted just 1 of 7 third downs in the first half but failed to capitalize on red-zone opportunities as the game wore on. Florida State, meanwhile, went 0-for-5 on third down in the first two quarters and allowed 189 passing yards and 167 rushing yards. The punting unit was particularly poor.
The Ugly
Turnovers proved costly for the Seminoles. Daniels threw two interceptions, bringing his season total to 11, or roughly one interception per 13 completions. Florida State's first seven drives of the first half ended in punt, punt, punt, touchdown, field goal, interception, and interception. Clemson scored off every turnover except the last one, controlling the clock for over 30 minutes. A fumble by Daniels in the third quarter stalled any hope of a comeback. The running game suffered without Ousmane Kromah and Sam Singleton, Jr., leaving Daniels and Quintrevion Wisern to carry the load.
Florida State will next travel to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to face Boston College on November 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET.