CFB Football Previews – Florida State Seminoles vs Clemson Tigers
Week 4’s FSU/Clemson tilt will tell us a ton about both team’s true forecasts for 2011. The Seminoles were hyped as a national title contender until Oklahoma took them down. A loss to Clemson would shift them from a powerhouse to an also-ran in two weeks.
NCAAF Week 4: Florida State vs Clemson
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina
Broadcast: ESPN
Florida State Seminoles at Clemson Tigers Betting Lines from Sportsbook.com
Money Line: Florida State +115, Clemson -135
Spread: Clemson -2
Over/Under: 50
Clemson, meanwhile, can establish itself as a true contender by taking down a highly ranked school. This is a biggie.
(11) Florida State Seminoles (2-1)
The home loss to No. 1 Oklahoma was tough to swallow for Florida State on multiple levels. The Seminoles had a golden opportunity to climb the national rankings and enter the BCS title discussion with a home matchup against the country’s top-ranked team.
The Seminoles’ top-five defense really came to play. It made the high-octane Sooners look pretty ordinary, holding them to 23 points and just 310 total yards while picking Landry Jones off twice.
But the good news ended there. E.J. Manuel, the supposed successor to Christian Ponder, threw two interceptions before getting knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury. Redshirt freshman Clint Trickett stepped in and wasn’t much better, though he did throw a touchdown pass. With Manuel likely out this week, the Seminoles will turn to Trickett again.
The youngster kinda, sorta held his own at home against Oklahoma. But what will Trickett do when he visits the hostile Clemson environment known as Death Valley?
(21) Clemson Tigers (3-0)
Clemson is rapidly ascending the national rankings after an impressive 3-0 start to the season. But bettors should remember that, even though Auburn was ranked, a win over last year’s national champs at home wasn’t the feat it was hyped to be. Auburn is clearly nowhere near the team it was a year ago. Clemson had no business losing that game. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The big question this week is whether or not the Tigers’ surprisingly dominant offense – ranked ninth in the nation so far – will keep up the good work against an elite defense like FSU’s. Also, can the Tigers improve on the 419 yards per game they’ve allowed so far?
The pick:
My first reaction is to pounce on the UNDER for this game. Quarterback Tajh Boyd and tailback Andre Ellington have looked great for Clemson so far but I don’t think many of us would’ve said at the start of 2011 that Clemson’s offense was better than Oklahoma’s. FSU’s outstanding defense should keep Clemson in check.
On the flip side, I have serious doubts about the Seminoles’ ability to move the ball this week. A redshirt freshman quarterback on the road in an extremely unfriendly environment is a recipe for a disaster. Even if Manuel plays instead of Trickett, he looked bad last week. I like Clemson to win at home – but not in a shootout.
Florida State vs Clemson prediction: Clemson 24, Florida State 14
Money Line: Clemson -135
Spread: Clemson -2
Over/Under: UNDER 50
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