Bowden: Turnovers key to winning at Florida St.

Jameis Winston had one interception in last season's win over Clemson

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Sep 15 07:01:02 GMT-05:00 2014

The latest line on Clemson’s trip to Tallahassee to play Florida St. this weekend shows the defending national champion Seminoles as 20.5 point favorites, and former Clemson head coach Tommy BowdenTommy Bowden
Head Coach
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Last season, Clemson turned it over four times – two fumbles and two interceptions – contributing factors in the Seminoles’ 51-14 win. Tajh BoydTajh Boyd
Quarterback (2009 - 2013)
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile threw two interceptions, and his first-quarter fumble was returned 37 yards for a touchdown by Mario Edwards. The Tigers also turned the ball over on the first play from scrimmage, a nine yard completion to Stanton SeckingerStanton Seckinger
RS Jr. Tight End
#81 6-4, 241
Isle of Palms, SC
View Full Profile that Seckinger fumbled.

Three plays later the Seminoles had a 7-0 lead. Two drives later, Boyd’s fumble and the subsequent return made it 17-0 and the sold-out Death Valley crowd never recovered.

Bowden is currently analyzing college football for Fox Sports South/Fox Sports Carolinas on The New College Football Show and for Raycom on its weekly show ACC Blitz.

He told TigerNet that if Clemson is to earn a win on the road, Florida St. will have to turn the ball over.

“They'll (Clemson) have to not turn it over and Florida State will have to turn it over,” Bowden said. “Clemson turned it over last year but even without the turnovers Florida State was the better team and probably would've won the game. If you take away three turnovers - they won by 37 so take away three of the turnovers and they're probably still going to win the game. Take away four of the turnovers and they'll still probably win the game. I think this year even if they don't turn it over, Florida State will have to turn the ball over.”

Bowden then said that Saturday’s contest won’t be a question of motivation – the team with the least number of mistakes will win.

“It will be a nationally televised game and there will be a lot of emotion in it,” he said. “You won't have to worry about getting the players motivated. It will be which team can play turnover free football.”

The game is also the first in Clemson’s ACC schedule – the Tigers return home to play North Carolina, N.C. State and Louisville, play on the road at Boston College, return home for a date with Syracuse before a Thursday night contest against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The Tigers close out the ACC schedule with a game against cross-division rival Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

Bowden said there are a few ACC teams that could give the Tigers trouble.

“Louisville. North Carolina could. Georgia Tech, simply because of their offense,” he said. “They've got a little bit different quarterback. This quarterback is the fastest quarterback that Paul Johnson has recruited while he's been at Georgia Tech, but Clemson has had their number for the last couple of years. Clemson still has a pretty good margin of separation of talent level between everybody else in the ACC other than Florida State. Louisville could give them a tough little game. Georgia Tech could give them a tough little game and maybe North Carolina. I think they'll beat all of those teams but I think they'll be close.”