Clemson Football Standout Excited To Compete Against FSU Football, DJ Uiagalelei
The ACC has been run through Tallahassee and Clemson over the last 15 years. Typically, the winner of the annual matchup between the two teams ends up taking the conference and becoming one of the most highly-regarded squads in the country. The Seminoles finally snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Tigers last year and there's been a little extra flair that will be added to the contest in 2024.
With former star quarterback Jordan Travis exhausting his eligibility, Florida State hit the transfer portal to find a new starting signal-caller this offseason. Head coach Mike Norvell and the 'Noles happened to circle in on Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei. The graduate transfer began his career at Clemson and is now returning to the ACC - creating plenty of storylines with Florida State set to host the Tigers in Doak Campbell Stadium on October 5.
Buzz is already building on both sides as Florida State and Clemson get ready for another showdown. Veteran Tigers linebacker Barrett Carter played alongside Uiagalelei in Orange and Purple for two seasons from 2021-22. He's excited to compete with him on the same field once again, even if the pair of standouts will be on separate sidelines.
“DJ, that’s my brother,” Carter said on the ACC Network. “To go against him, it’s going to be super fun, just because we competed in practice for two years, and he’s one of the best that I’ve seen. He’s an ultra-competitor, he’s a silent assassin. So, I’m definitely looking forward to the opportunity just to compete against him again, and I know he’ll do great things down there. But I’m excited to see how we match up versus them.”
Carter recorded three tackles in Florida State's overtime victory against Clemson in 2023. The Seminoles trailed 10-0 and 17-7 but rallied in the second half after a sack and forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Kalen DeLoach. The Tigers missed a go-ahead field goal with seconds remaining in regulation, setting up the game-winning touchdown pass from Jordan Travis to Keon Coleman.
During his time at Clemson, Carter has totaled 151 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, 14 pass deflections, and a defensive touchdown. He was named Second-Team All-ACC for his performance this past season.
Uiagalelei is entering his fifth year at the college level after three seasons at Clemson and one at Oregon State. He was at his best with the Beavers, completing 57.1% of his passes for a career-high 2,638 yards with 21 touchdowns to seven interceptions while also rushing for six scores. He averaged 8.7 yards per attempt despite throwing fewer passes than in either of his two years as a starter with the Tigers.
Throughout his college career, Uiagalelei has completed 695/1176 passes (59.1%) for 8,319 yards with 57 touchdowns to 24 interceptions. He has also rushed 343 times for 1,132 yards with 21 more scores on the ground. Uiagalelei holds a 30-10 record as a starting quarterback.
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