Clemson Tigers

Clemson shouldn't underestimate the Seminoles

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Clemson has had a much better record the past two seasons, but the Seminoles aren’t going to go gently into the night.

For those of you that have been living under a rock the last month, the Clemson Tigers are slated to play the Florida State Seminoles this Saturday. While the Seminoles have had a bit of a shaky start this season, Clemson cannot presume that they will dance into Tallahassee with an easy victory. The Tigers have not won in Tallahassee since 2006 when the unranked Tigers upset the No. 9 Seminoles.

Make no mistake-this is a major rivalry game, and as such expect an explosive matchup.

The rivalry contest has been the marquee game for the ACC; consequently it has been consistently scheduled like clockwork in Week 9 of the season. The ‘Noles would love nothing more than to destroy Clemson’s perfect season and ensure a bowl berth, so the victory is tantamount for them at this point. A loss for Clemson would still put them at the top of the Atlantic division, but would demolish their championship hopes. The Seminoles need this victory as much as Clemson does, and at the end of the night it may come down to who wants it more.

Vegas has the Tigers as the favorite, but at a very slim (3.5) margin. The seven remaining undefeated teams all play on the road this week, and last year five out of seven lost to their opponents in that game. Deshaun Watson is still one of the best players in the country, and Wayne Gallman is basically a lightning bolt in human form; nevertheless, the Tigers need to get past the Seminole juggernaut before they start preparing for another championship.