As it prepares for a trip to No. 3 Clemson, the hot topic this week surrounding the Florida State offense is who will start at quarterback. In place of a slightly concussed Everett Golson on Saturday, Sean Maguire passed for 348 yards against Syracuse, but the FSU offense has been outstanding at home this season regardless of who has started.
While Maguire did enhance a vertical passing attack that had been lacking, the Seminoles have totaled more than 500 yards of offense in four of their five home games and are averaging nearly 42 points-per-game at Doak Campbell Stadium. The road however, has been a different story.
In three road games this season, FSU is averaging a pedestrian 275 yards of offense and 18 points-per-game. In the three road games, the Seminoles have managed to score just six total touchdowns — the same number they scored in Saturday’s 45-21 home victory over Syracuse.
Of the six touchdowns away from Doak Campbell Stadium, one score was defensive as Jalen Ramsey returned a fumble for a touchdown against Boston College. FSU’s lone touchdown against Georgia Tech in its last road game came on just a 2-yard drive after a long interception return by Lamarcus Brutus. Florida State’s final touchdown against Wake Forest on October 3rd was a 47-yard drive after Kermit Whitfield opened the second half with a big kickoff return and its first touchdown in that contest came on a 94-yard touchdown run by running back Dalvin Cook on the first play of a drive.
In other words, since going 83 yards for a touchdown on its first road possession of the season against Boston College, Florida State has had just one sustained touchdown drive of longer than 47 yards. Whether Maguire gets the chance to try to fix some of these struggles will become known by Saturday’s 3:30 P.M. eastern time kickoff, but the redshirt junior himself has never taken a meaningful road snap.
The reasons for FSU’s offensive struggles away from home have been many. Drops have certainly been an issue for the Florida State receivers, with junior Jesus Wilson the main culprit, but sophomore Travis Rudolph has had his issues with looking the ball in as well.
The most glaring road issue for the Seminoles’ offense however, has been maximizing scoring opportunities. In its 22-16 loss at Georgia Tech on October 24th, FSU managed just one touchdown on four trips to the red zone and committed its first offensive turnover of the season as Everett Golson was intercepted in the end zone with Florida State nursing a 16-13 lead. Earlier in the game, the Seminoles had to settle for a field goal after a 17-yard run by Cook set FSU up with a 1st-and-goal from the 2-yard-line.
On the year, FSU has managed four touchdowns in nine trips to the red zone on the road. Come Saturday, the Seminoles will be facing a Clemson defense that’s one of the country’s best when it comes to red zone defense. The Tigers are also giving up fewer than 17 points-per-game at home.
As always, the contest between Clemson and Florida State will have huge implications in deciding the winner of the ACC. Since 2009, the winner of the contest has gone on to represent the Atlantic division in this conference championship every year and this one is expected to be no different.
FSU pounded Clemson 51-14 in its last trip to Death Valley two years ago, scoring more points at Memorial Stadium than any visitor ever. That isn’t likely to happen again this year as FSU has just 54 total points through three road games. If Florida State is to have any hope of four-peating as ACC champions however, it has to find a way to put those elusive points on the scoreboard Saturday.
