Clemson Tigers at Florida St Seminoles, Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Saturday, November 13, 2010, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ABC or ESPN Gameplan
Opening Line: Florida St -7 1/2
Current Line: Florida St -6
Opening Total: 47
Current Total: 44
Money Line: FSU -240 / Clemson +200
The 5-4 Clemson Tigers travel to Tallahassee to take on the 6-3 Florida St Seminoles in a crucial ACC showdown. Florida St leads the Atlantic division at 4-2 by a half game over Maryland and NC State, but Clemson is only a game behind. Any of the 4 could win the division and go to the ACC championship game. Florida St has lost 2 games in a row, an d the schedule doesn’t get any easier as they finish with Clemson at home, at Maryland and home against arch-rival Florida. Clemson has not fared well in their last 7 trips to Tallahassee as they have gone 1-6 against the college football spreads in those games. Florida St has only covered the spread once in the last 5 games against Clemson
Clemson is coming off a 14-13 victory over NC St last week. Clemson scored with 6 minutes left to play in the fourth and held on for the win. The week before Clemson lost at Boston College 16-10 a game they should have won. Clemson is 5-1 at home this season and 0-3 on the road straight up. The Tigers are outscoring their opponents 26-17. Clemson usually wins with defense as they only gain 333 yards a game and give up 330. The Tigers have a turnover margin of -2 but they do have 48 points off turnovers this season so they make teams pay when they turn the ball over. The Tigers have forced 24 sacks this season. The offense is led by QB Kyle Parker. Parker is inconsistent but has thrown for over 1,500 yards, 9 touchdowns and 7 touchdowns. The Tigers rush for over 150 yards a game led by Andre Ellington (117 carries, 686 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Jamie Harper (110 carries, 383 yards, 4 touchdowns) split most of the carries. Seven Tiger receivers have at least 14 catches.
Florida St was running away with the division as little as two weeks ago before narrow looses to North Carolina St and North Carolina raised some questions about the Seminoles. The Seminoles are outscoring teams 34-20 and the gain over 410 yards a game while only giving up 333 yards a game. The Seminoles have a turnover ratio of -4 but they have forced 38 sacks for the season. Dual threat quarterback Christian Ponder has missed three straight practices after having fluid drained from his elbow and is listed as questionable for the game against Clemson. Ponder has 20 touchdowns (16 passing , 4 rushing), almost 1,800 total yards, and 7 interceptions for the season. If Ponder can’t go, it will be sophomore E.J. Manuel taking the snaps. Manuel has thrown for 2 touchdowns and in interception in mop-up duty for the season. The Seminoles rush for almost 200 yards a game led by Chris Thompson (72 carries, 534 yards, and 4 touchdowns), Jermaine Thomas (82 carries 480 yards, 6 touchdowns), and Ty Jones (56 carries, 426 yards, two touchdowns). Lonnie Pryor only has 12 carries but 3 of those went for touchdowns. Pryor also has 3 touchdown catches and is a dangerous weapon that can’t be overlooked. Three Seminole receivers have least 29 catches, 400 yards and a touchdown catch.
Bettors should obviously keep an eye on Ponder to see if he plays, but the Seminoles have enough talent to overcome that loss if he can’t go. They rely on the running game more than passing anyway. Clemson must protect the quarterback as Florida St averages more than 4 sacks a game. Both of these teams will go to a bowl at the end of the season but the have their eyes on the bigger prize of winning the ACC and playing in a BCS game.
Our college football handicappers are red hot and have plenty of winners ready to go this weekend. On Saturday we have 8 college football sports picks including a rare 20 unit release.
