Five Clemson players to keep an eye on against Florida State
No. 4 Clemson takes on Florida State on Saturday, and multiple Tigers will be under the spotlight when the two teams kick off at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Heading into Week 7, Clemson (6-0) leads the pack in the Atlantic Divison, with Florida State (4-2) not too far behind.
The Tigers have won the past six matchups, but winning this road game in Tallahassee, Fla., will be no easy task.
Last year, Clemson defeated the Seminoles by 10 points — a score that was not reflective of how poor head coach Dabo Swinney thought his team played.
“I wanted to vomit watching the Florida State game last year,” Swinney said on Tuesday. “It was so painful to watch it. We were so bad. We won, which was a miracle, but we were so bad.”
Swinney and the Tigers will look to rectify that performance on Saturday, and here are some Clemson players to keep a closer eye on during the game.
Will Shipley, Running back
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Shipley is the clear-cut leader in the Tigers’ running back room, and for a good reason. The sophomore has 446 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 76 attempts. Although he had a relatively slow night against Boston College last week, Shipley will look to rebound against a familiar foe in the Seminoles. Last year, he had a season-high 128 rushing yards vs. Florida State, and he could easily surpass that mark this week.
Bryan Bresee, Defensive tackle
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Bresee has had a tough start to the 2022 season, losing his little sister Ella and missing the last two games due to a kidney infection. With his return set for Saturday, the junior defensive tackle could play a big role. Florida State’s offensive line is not a great unit, so Bresee and the rest of the Tigers’ defensive front could feast.
Sheridan Jones, Cornerback
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Jones made this list last week ahead of the Boston College game, but he was ultimately sidelined for the third straight week with a stinger he’s been battling. There is still the possibility he will miss the game against the Seminoles, but Swinney said he was day-to-day earlier this week, which bodes well for the veteran cornerback. Florida State’s passing offense is no joke, so Jones’ return could help contain the Seminoles and build on last week’s strong defensive showing from the Tigers.
Will Taylor, Punt returner/Wide receiver
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Taylor doesn’t see the field much, but after two muffed punts last week against the Eagles, his starting punt returner spot is in jeopardy. This week, Clemson’s coaching staff listed freshman wide receiver Antonio Williams as a co-starter for the position, meaning Taylor will be on a short leash against the Seminoles if he runs out first.
Xavier Thomas, Defensive end
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After missing the Tigers’ first five games with a broken foot, Thomas returned last week against Boston College and had a dominant outing. Despite only playing six snaps, the fifth-year senior had two sacks and an additional quarterback hit. Now facing a much more lethal offense in Florida State, Thomas said he plans to “play a lot more this week.” If he can put the same amount of pressure on the Seminoles, Clemson’s defense could pitch another smothering.
