Today I was at the Clemson vs. Florida State game, and earlier I gave my Clemson perspective on the 31-24 OT win for the Noles.
Now I go to the otherside, and my take on the victorious Florida State Seminoles.
Florida State has had 3 tests in 4 games and passed all 3.
Passing tests in different ways builds confidence, and confidence leads to winning.
Winning leads to even more winning. You get the picture.
Florida State was in a fight with LSU and played a magnificent 4th quarter against LSU.
The Noles were sloppy, maybe disinterested early, and nearly got bit by a bad Boston College team that played lights out. What matters is they persevered and won.
Saturday on the road against a desperate Clemson team, with a QB Jordan Travis that still appeared to suffering from a sore shoulder, Clemson played some of their best football of the year. The Tigers were up 24-17 and driving deep into FSU territory and the Seminoles came up with the play of the game.
It was a brilliant defensive play-call that produced a sack-fumble-scoop and score TD that QB Cade Klubnik never saw coming.
Clemson didn’t score again.
In the OT it was a total mismatch, as Florida State confidently went from Travis to their best WR Keon Coleman and it was a TD, while Clemson was a mess of confusion and disarray on their last two offensive possession inside the 25.
That’s the difference between the similarly talented teams – confidence in what you’re doing vs. hoping what you’re doing will work.
Florida State now eyes their schedule after surviving what many considered their toughest games on the season – LSU and on the road at Clemson.
They’ll face more tough opponents this year, Duke, Miami, maybe Florida on the road, and the ACC Title but none will match the overall talent that LSU or Clemson has before the playoffs.
The Noles are growing, building, getting better, and winning. I think their best most consistent football is still ahead of them.
