Rapid Reaction: Clemson falls to Florida State in overtime
For 60 minutes, Clemson was the better team on the field, but turnovers and questionable play-calling doomed the Tigers as they fell to No. 4 Florida State 31-24 in overtime. Ill-timed mistakes, missed field goals, defensive scores, and inexplicable decisions ultimately ended any hopes Clemson had at the postseason.
Florida State (4-0, 2-0 ACC) never led in regulation, but the Seminoles did a good job of avoiding the knock-out punch and hanging in. Ultimately, the game came down to three stretches.
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- Late in the first half, Clemson had all of the momentum. The Tigers had taken a 17-7 lead with just over two minutes to play. The defense was playing lights out, only allowing one scoring drive to that point, and was getting after Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. When the Seminoles came out with 2:12 to go, Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin decided to drop into an eight-man coverage, sending just three rushers. Travis took advantage, finding a rhythm and moving FSU into scoring position in just three plays. The 'Noles would punch it in a few plays later, getting to within one score just before the half.
- With a seven-point lead late in the third quarter, Phil Mafah took a carry 46 yards, setting Clemson up to take a commanding lead. Instead, two plays later, Mafah missed a block, freeing 'Noles linebacker Kalen Deloach for a strip sack. Deloach deftly recovered the ball and took it 56 yards for a touchdown, tying the game.
- Clemson righted the ship in the fourth, getting some big stops defensively. With the game still knotted at 24-24, the Tigers had moved the ball into Florida State's redzone. On second down, Clemson tried a fake reverse that was snuffed out, stopping the clock and setting up a long third down. On third down and nine, Clemson OC Garrett Riley called a quarterback draw that was smashed at the line. Instead of trying to punch it into the endzone, Clemson had to settle for a field goal attempt that they would miss.
There where multiple other examples of these types of decisions - the third down call in OT - but those three are the ones that ultimately decided the game and ended Clemson's hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff and likely out of the ACC title race.
