Clemson Football: 3 takeaways from dominant win over Florida State

1. Travis Etienne gashed an overmatched Florida State front seven

Since rushing for more than 200 yards in the season opener against Georgia Tech, Clemson running back Travis Etienne has watched his production stall over the next four games. Since that blowout of the Yellow Jackets, Etienne has failed to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark. That changed in a big way in Week 7 as Florida State provided the perfect foil to boost Etienne’s stats.

Getting 17 carries, Etienne finished the game well in triple digits with 127 rushing yards. Along the way, the running back belted out five carries of at least 10 yards and three that went for 20 or more. Though he failed to run for a touchdown, Etienne contributed in plenty of different ways.

The running back might not have scored a rushing touchdown, but he did post a three-yard touchdown catch out of the backfield for his only catch of the game. For good measure, Etienne also chipped in a 23-yard pass to Justyn Ross on a trick play in the first minute of the contest, showcasing his all-around skill set.

If Etienne can continue to heat up in the back half of the season, Clemson will stop looking like a team that could keep falling down the polls and more like the College Football Playoff contender they have been over the past four years.