ESPN analyst breaks down Clemson-FSU keys to the game

ESPN's Greg McElroy will be on the call for the Clemson-FSU game and he says Nate Wiggins will need to win his fair share of battles to contain the Seminoles offense.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Sep 21 14:58:12 GMT-04:00 2023

An ESPN analyst set to be on the call for the big ACC showdown in Death Valley weighed in with his thoughts on the game.

Greg McElroy is the color commentator for the game with Sean McDonough and Molly McGrath for the noon ABC broadcast on Saturday.

Clemson (2-1) is a 2.5-point underdog to the No. 4 Florida State Seminoles (3-0).

"They're an underdog coming into this one, and probably understandably so...Clemson has to play a clean game," McElroy said. "They have to play a clean game for sure. For the first time this season, last week they finally played a clean game...I think it's going to be really important for them to play smart, clean football.

"Duke had an excellent plan and I imagine Florida State will try to mimic that plan in making the quarterback uncomfortable."

For Clemson defensively, McElroy says to watch the FSU running backs coming out of the backfield.

"Florida State's offensive line, I think, has maybe the most difficult test of the day," McElroy said. "This is a defensive front that, while it might not be as good as say the 2018 version of Clemson, they're still excellent. The best part of this defensive front is on the interior. Their defensive tackle contingent...those three guys in the middle are a handful. That's the strength of the defense...The edges are still very good. Maybe not Clelin Ferrell, but still very, very good. Guys that can certainly take over the game if your tackles don't play well.

"I think Florida State is going to have to find ways to run the football. Trey Benson was massive in this game last year, but if you look at what kinda has hurt Clemson so far, it's actually been running backs coming out of the backfield on free releases, wheels -- Duke killed them on it a couple times. I would imagine that will be a big part of Florida State's gameplan offensively going against a group that's given up some big plays to backs out of the backfield in the passing game."

Clemson's secondary has to get some wins against the tall and talented FSU receiver corps too.

"Jordan Travis is an excellent quarterback," said McElroy. "Got a little dinged up at the end of the half last week -- should be good to go. No problem whatsoever and he has an elite wide receiver corps. The one question about Clemson for a very long time has been what is their secondary capable of covering? They've been so good upfront but the secondary for the most part has been untested. I actually think that that secondary is pretty good.

"I look at Nate Wiggins and he's taken a big stride as far as his coverability and I think he will have a difficult matchup with Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman, but that's going to be a matchup that Clemson absolutely has to win...When you see that length going vertical, you got to be able to win the 50/50 balls. If Wiggins can win his fair share of those, that will help an awful lot in terms of neutralizing a big-play passing attack that Florida State likes to utilize."

Clemson also has to hit some big plays downfield to make an impact.

"They have not really thrown the ball downfield as much as you would like," McElroy said. "That I think will be of the utmost importance. Another thing to note, Florida State really struggled with quarterback run on third down...Cade Klubnik, while he's not a crazy gifted take off-and-run guy, he can certainly keep you honest if you're smart with how you attack the quarterback. The one issue that I think Clemson might have is the (FSU) defensive end tandem that is Patrick Payton and Jared Verse...The tackles for Clemson are going to have to play great as well."