Seminoles were prepared for overtime challenge at Clemson

Special to the Outlook

All season there has been evidence that Mike Norvell’s preparation of the FSU football team has been a steady grind.

Sort of like last Saturday’s overtime 31-24 win over Clemson. The outcome hung in the balance, even after FSU struck first in the overtime.

Norvell figured his players would trust their preparation, though.

“This is what you go for; moments like this,” Norvell said in his post-game press conference. “That’s why we train the way we train. That’s why we push through the standard we push through. 

“Even when you might not play your best, we are going to be ready in the moment. We did that offensively in the first series (of overtime).

The Seminoles get this weekend off before facing Virginia Tech on Oct. 7 at Doak Campbell Stadium. 

In the process of winning last Saturday, the Seminoles snapped a seven-game skid at Clemson. The win also extended FSU win streak to 10 games dating back to last season.

After Clemson missed a 20-yard field goal that would have given the Tigers a lead with 1:45 left in the game, FSU had an opportunity to break the 24-24 tie in regulation but eventually turned the ball over on downs after driving to the Tigers’ 39 with 18 seconds left.

After winning the overtime coin toss, the Tigers elected to go on defense first. After a 1-yard rush on the Noles’ first play in overtime, Jordan Travis lofted a perfect pass to Keon Coleman just over the goal line on the right side and he hurdled over the defenders to make the 24-yard touchdown catch.

Clemson’s first play on its possession was an incompletion then Will Shipley nearly reached the first down marker with a 9-yard run up the middle. Facing third and short, the Tigers threw a completed pass to the left sideline where the Seminole defense stuffed it for no gain.  Cade Klubnick’s pass on fourth down sailed over the head of a covered receiver to end the game 31-24.

FSU relied on the arm of Travis who completed 21 of 37 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns against a Tiger defense determined to stop the Seminole running game which managed just 22 yards on 20 attempts. 

FSU receivers Coleman and Johnny Wilson each had five receptions, with Coleman scoring two touchdowns and gaining 86 yards while Wilson had a team-leading 94 receiving yards.

Klubnick was 25 of 38 through the air for 283 yards and one touchdown. Shipley, who rushed for over 100 yards the last two times against FSU, was held to 67 yards on 18 attempts and the Tigers managed just 146 yards on the day.

Florida State’s defense was led by linebacker Kalen Deloach who had 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass broken up. He also caused a fumble on a crushing quarterback sack, then picked it up and raced 56 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 24-24.

Clemson opened the scoring in the ACC showdown with a 30-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the first quarter.  The Tigers drove 79 yards on 15 plays and burned just over six minutes off the clock.  The drive included a fourth down conversion on 4th-and-1 on the FSU 49.

The Tigers took a 10-0 lead with 11:33 remaining in the half.  A short punt set Clemson up at their 49 and they took seven plays to cover 51 yards with Klubnick scoring on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. 

After gaining just 21 yards on its previous two drives, FSU’s offense put it together driving 75 yards on 13 plays to make it 10-7 on a seven-yard pass from Travis to a wide-open Coleman.  The drive was not without its challenges as the Seminoles converted a 4th-and-1 on their own 47 when Travis kept the ball and stretched just over the line.

Clemson made it 17-7 on the ensuing drive on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Klubnick to Shipley who was split out on the right side.  The 71-yard drive took just 7 plays.  Klubnicks 33-yard pass to his tight end was the biggest play moving the ball to the Noles’ 12.

FSU struck quickly during the drive from its own 25 with 2:12 left in the first half.  Travis completed passes of 11, 38 and 8 yards and Clemson was called for interference on another to put FSU at the 2.  Travis followed the right side of the Seminole line into the end zone to make it 17-14 at the half.

Neither team could find any running room in the first half with FSU gaining just 20 yards on the ground to Clemson’s 36.  Travis completed 12 of 17 for 136 yards and a touchdown, while Klubnick was 13 of 18 for 190 yards and a TD for the Tigers. Coleman led FSU receivers over the initial stanza with four catches for 69 yards.

Ryan Fitzgerald knotted the score at 17-17 with a clutch 48-yard field goal on the Seminole’s opening possession of the second half.   

Clemson regained the lead 23-17 in the third quarter on an 11-play, 77-yard drive that ended when Shipley scored on a 1-yard run with 3:32 left.  Klubnick completed 4 of 5 passes on the drive despite near sacks on three occasions.

In what will likely go down as one of the biggest plays of the season, DeLoach silenced a raucous Clemson crowd with a play defenders dream about.  Right after a long Clemson run seemed to shift momentum even more the Tiger’s way, DeLoach drilled the Tiger quarterback on a blitz knocking the ball loose, bounced to his feet and grabbed the fumble for a 56-yard scoop-and-score to tie it up again at 24 with 31 seconds left in the quarter.

With 1:45 left in the game, Clemson lined up for a chip shot field goal that would have given the Tigers a 27-24 lead but they missed wide left. FSU drove to the Clemson 39-yard line, but could not get in position for a field goal and the pass attempt on fourth down was incomplete with 18 seconds left setting up the dramatic overtime win.