For 29 minutes, this was a classic Clemson coronation. And then, in just under two minutes, Florida State reminded everyone in Death Valley why this is a rivalry.
Clemson heads to the locker room with an 18-7 lead, but the entire feel of this game has been turned on its head. After being dominated and held scoreless, the Seminoles stormed 75 yards in 10 plays, capped by a Tommy Castellanos 7-yard touchdown pass to Lawayne McCoy with just 33 seconds left in the half.
What was shaping up to be an 18-0 blowout is now a game.
Klubnik's Half, Until...
Make no mistake, this was Cade Klubnik’s half. The Clemson QB was in complete command, accounting for both of the Tigers' touchdowns. He opened the scoring with a gritty 4-yard touchdown run and later uncorked a 34-yard touchdown strike to Antonio Williams.
Klubnik (11-16, 135 yards, 1 TD) and the Clemson offense were playing keep-away. They dominated the line of scrimmage and, more importantly, the clock, holding the ball for a staggering 19:23 compared to just 10:04 for Florida State. After a Nolan Hauser 40-yard field goal extended the lead to 18-0 with 2:31 left, this game felt over.
Castellanos Answers the Bell
Then, Tommy Castellanos woke up.
The FSU quarterback, who had been running for his life, put the entire offense on his back. Castellanos (75 yards passing, 52 yards rushing) was the key to the Seminoles' miracle drive. On a must-have 4th-and-2, he scrambled for 26 yards to keep the drive alive. He finished it by finding McCoy in the end zone, silencing the Clemson crowd and giving the Noles a desperately needed pulse.
That late score visibly frustrated Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.
"Well, defense got to set the tone," Swinney told reporters heading into the tunnel. "Offense set the ton[e] to start this game, defense has got to do it to start the 3rd quarter... this is Clemson Florida State... it sure aint over."
Second Half Keys
Swinney's words set the stage perfectly. The entire dynamic of this game rests on the first few drives of the third quarter.
- For Clemson: The defense must answer their coach's challenge. They gave up 71 yards on three explosive plays (gains of 20+) from Castellanos alone. They have to contain him. Offensively, they need to get back to controlling the clock and not let FSU's late score rattle them.
- For Florida State: Can they build on that one drive? It was the first sign of life they've shown. The defense must find a way to get off the field. They are losing the time of possession battle badly and cannot let Klubnik dink and dunk his way to another 10-minute drive.
Clemson has been the better team, but Florida State has the momentum. The first five minutes of the second half will tell us if this is a game or just a temporary scare for the Tigers.