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Florida State matches worst margin of defeat in 59-10 loss to No. 2 Clemson

 
Published Oct. 27, 2018|Updated Oct. 27, 2018

TALLAHASSEE — Big stops from the Florida State defense and early Clemson miscues gave the Seminoles offense plenty of time to get going in the first quarter Saturday. The Seminoles forced the No. 2-ranked Tigers to punt on their first three possessions, and a shanked Clemson kick even allowed the Seminoles to start a drive in Tiger territory.

Almost every time the Seminoles (4-4, 2-4) had a chance to find the end zone Saturday, though, they sputtered. And it wouldn't be long before a scoreless first quarter turned into a total dismantling.

Trevor Lawrence threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters, and Clemson beat Florida State 59-10. The loss is the worst at Doak Campbell Stadium and ties Florida State's worst margin of defeat, matching a 49-point loss to Florida in 1973.

"It's an embarrassing performance," said first-year coach Willie Taggart. "It's the first time since I've been here that I felt like we had some guys that quit on our football team, and that can't be tolerated."

In the early going before the announced crowd of 68,403, the Florida State defense did its best to keep the Seminoles in the game. Clemson, which came in averaging a ninth-best 254 rushing yards per contest, struggled to get anything going on the ground in the first half, amassing just 59 yards before the break.

Starting in the second quarter, though, Lawrence made up for it with his arm.

The freshman connected with wide receiver Tee Higgins on the first two scores. On the Tigers' third touchdown drive of the afternoon, a targeting penalty against Florida State safety Hamsah Nasirildeen and a pass interference call moments later gave Clemson (8-0, 5-0) free first downs, and eventually 6-foot-4, 315-pound defensive tackle Christian Wilkins barreled up the middle for a Clemson score. Florida State trailed 28-0 at the half.

"I thought when I signed at Florida State I'd never lose like this in my life," defensive tackle Marvin Wilson said. "The little things we didn't do turned into big things."

After the break, Clemson made up for its sluggish start on offense by simply doing away with long, drawn-out scoring drives all together.

On just the second play of the second half, Lawrence hit Amari Rodgers on a 58-yard touchdown pass. Florida State made a defensive stand on the Tigers' next possession, forcing a three-and-out, but the Seminoles only continued their self-imposed mistakes, muffing the ensuing punt, which led to a 24-yard field goal from B.T. Potter.

Quick Clemson possessions and a lack of FSU offense only gave the Tigers more opportunities to score. They took advantage, adding three touchdowns on drives of one, five and four plays.

Florida State finally got on the board late in the third quarter, but that drive, too, was riddled with Seminole setbacks. As FSU neared the goal line, punches were thrown and an ejection and personal foul penalty against wide receiver Nyqwan Murray forced FSU to settle for a 35-yard Ricky Aguayo field goal.

They'd add a touchdown on a 73-yard touchdown pass from James Blackman to Keyshawn Helton.

As the minutes mercifully ticked away, the stands emptied, and a fan was spotted in the crowd reading a book, his Florida State hat sitting between his feet. With less than 12 minutes to play, FSU quarterback Deondre Francois was helped off the field following an injury, and another player Florida State player was ejected following yet another thrown punch.

If it could go wrong for FSU on Saturday, it did. But perhaps worse than the final score for Taggart was seeing his players quit.

"There will be changes come next week," he said.

As far as defensive end Brian Burns is concerned, the solution has to be a next-man-up situation. Because Saturday's result, he said, simply can't happen again.

"I'd use the same word (Taggart) used. Embarrassing," Burns said. "There's nothing else to be explained."