Clemson stands up on defense in the clutch

On the second play of the game, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook sprinted 75 yards practically untouched to give the Seminoles a 7-0 lead over Clemson. In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, the Tigers kept him from gaining a yard. Twice.

The Seminoles trailed 16-13 and had the ball at the Clemson 40, facing third-and-1 midway through the fourth quarter. On third down and fourth down, Cook was stuffed for no gain. The top-ranked Tigers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive and went on to earn a 23-13 win over FSU.

With the victory, Clemson clinched a spot in the ACC title game and went a long way toward earning a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Linebackers B.J. Goodson and Ben Boulware made the stops on identical pitch plays to opposite sides.

“That was just huge. Florida State, they’re the champs. They weren’t going to go down easy,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “They had gotten us on that play a few other times when we were soft and not lined up. They got us a few times, caught us off guard, but that might have been the biggest play of the game for us defensively.”

Tigers defensive end Shaq Lawson wasn’t credited with the tackle on fourth-and-1, but his penetration played a key role in the stop. The junior said he knew exactly what play was coming on the critical fourth down.

“I knew what they liked to do from film study. I knew when they’re in a hurry up offense they like to do that toss,” he said. “The bunch was on my side so I knew the toss was coming my way. I just played it good and made a play on it.”

Cook finished with 194 rushing yards, but 111 of those came on his first two carries. He had only 83 over the final 57 minutes of the game. Venables said he didn’t make drastic changes after Cook’s impressive start, he simply told his defense to keep trusting its gameplan.

“We just got our hand in the dirt and played our game. We executed,” he said. “It’s not a complicated game … Leverage and staying on our feet and being where we’re supposed to be, not trying to do too much.”

Two years ago, when an undefeated, top-five Clemson team played FSU at home, the Seminoles took a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game and Clemson never recovered. Florida State went on to a 51-14 win and ended up winning the national title.

When the Seminoles took a 7-0 lead just seconds into Saturday’s game, Boulware said there was no panic defensively, a sign of how much progress the unit has made.

“I think it just shows how far we’ve come,” he said. “Florida State’s owned us the past few years. They beat the crap out of us. It’s good to get them back.”

FSU almost had a two-score lead early on, but sophomore Adrian Baker picked off Seminoles quarterback Sean Maguire in the red zone on the second drive of the game. The Seminoles only reached the red zone once more the rest of the way.

“We let them back down the field and Baker makes a really nice play on the ball,” Venables said. “They ran a post wheel and he did a great job having his own eyes and reaches up and grabs it down. Turnovers are a huge part of a game like this and they were a big difference tonight.”

The final turnover of the game came with two minutes remaining, as Boulware stripped Travis Rudolph near midfield and Goodson recovered.

“I just saw all night he was holding the ball loose,” Boulware said. “I was coming from behind and made the play.”

Clemson’s defense was lights out in the second half, holding the Seminoles to only three points and 158 yards. Venables said he knew FSU would present a tough challenge, but he was proud of the way his defense responded.

“It’s not like you’re playing East Popcorn State out there. That’s Florida State. They won the national championship and played in the playoff last year. They’re a very talented team and very determined,” he said. “You’re going to have to knock them out, and I thought late, when it mattered the most, we were fortunate enough to be able to do just that.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 1:44 AM with the headline "Clemson stands up on defense in the clutch."