Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from dominant win over Florida State

2. Clemson’s defense suffocated all chances of Florida State upset

The bright spot for Clemson all season long has been a defense that continues to dominate opponents despite losing a slew of NFL-grade talent in the offseason. That unit continued to step up and make huge plays, preventing any chances that Florida State might have had of pulling off an upset in South Carolina.

Entering the Week 7 showdown in division play, Clemson ranked sixth nationally in yards allowed. Giving up only 255 yards per game through the first five games, the Tigers also held opponents to just 12 points per game. Clemson outdid those season averages against Florida State, holding the Seminoles to just 205 total yards of offense and giving up only a pair of late touchdowns.

Willie Taggart had few answers, as quarterbacks James Blackman and Alex Hornibrook combined to go 16-of-32 for only 144 passing yards. Though Hornibrook had one touchdown pass, the duo ended up tossing three interceptions between them. The ground game fared little better, as the team finished with only 61 net rushing yards. The Tigers defense matched the Seminoles offense on the scoreboard, as Derion Kendrick returned Blackman’s second interception of the game 38 yards for a pick-six.

In total, Clemson forced four total turnovers and consolidated their spot as one of the best handful of defenses in the country. Though they failed to secure their first shutout since winning the 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal 31-0 against Ohio State, Clemson still proved they are a threat as long as their defense continues to perform at a high level.