Florida State Falls to No. 15 Clemson

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State football team suffered a 29-13 loss to No. 15 Clemson on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Playing their first ranked opponent of the season, the Seminoles (1-5, 1-4 ACC) were held to 250 yards, 228 passing and 22 rushing. The Tigers (4-1, 3-0 ACC) had 500 total yards, 265 on the ground and 235 in the air.

Quarterback Brock Glenn made his first start of the season and third of his career. He's the fourth quarterback in the Playoff Era, since 2014, to have his first three career starts at quarterback all against top-15 opponents.

Glenn was 23-for-41 for 228 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. His 23 completions surpasses his 19 career completions coming into the game and more than doubles his previous single-game high of nine. Glenn's 228 passing yards tonight was one yard shy of matching his career total of 229 and was 89 yards better than his previous single-game best of 139.

The redshirt freshman quarterback connected with tight end Landen Thomas seven times for 80 yards, both team-high totals. Tight end Amaree Williams and wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas each had a touchdown catch.

Linebacker Omar Graham Jr. led FSU with eight tackles, four solo, and defensive back Kevin Knowles II was one of five Seminoles with at least six tackles, as he had six with a team-best five solo tackles. Defensive lineman Patrick Payton had two tackles for loss and linebacker Cam Riley registered a sack.

Payton and Edwin Joseph each blocked a field goal, the third consecutive game Florida State has registered at least one field goal block. It's the first time the team has achieved the feat since a five-game stretch in 2001-2002, when the first block came in the Sugar Bowl to end the 2001 campaign before blocked field goals in four consecutive games to open the 2002 season.

Tonight was the fifth time under coach Mike Norvell that Florida State has blocked more than one kick in a game.

After three-and-outs to begin the game for each team, Clemson took a 3-0 lead on a 26-yard field goal with 6:33 left in the first quarter. The Tigers drove 66 yards before the Seminole defense held the visitors to a three-yard rush and back-to-back incompletions from inside the 15.

Clemson scored on its next two possessions to extend its lead to 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers' first touchdown was a 57-yard pass on the second play of the drive with 3:20 left. Their second touchdown also was through the air for 23 yards with two seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

The Seminoles answered right back with a touchdown of their own to cut the deficit to 17-7. Glenn found Williams for a 13-yard score with 11:11 left in the half. The first touchdown pass and catch for both Glenn and Williams capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive that was highlighted by a 35 yard completion from Glenn to Thomas.

Joseph's blocked field goal ended Clemson's next drive. The attempt was for 38 yards thanks to a tackle for a loss of six yards by Payton and a sack for a loss of seven yards by Riley on first and second downs, respectively.

The Seminole defense again held the Tigers to a field goal attempt on their next drive, though this time the 38-yard attempt was good. That made it 20-7 with 1:51 left in the half.

Clemson was held to another field goal to end the half, as the kick from 25 yards made it 23-7 and ended a 12-play, 77-yard drive.

Three punts opened the second half before Payton registered the second blocked field goal of the game for the Seminoles late in the third quarter. The block on the 25-yard attempt gave FSU the ball back on its own 26-yard line with 24 seconds left in the third.

Florida State turned that blocked field goal into a touchdown with a 12-yard pass from Glenn to Douglas. The 15-play, 74-yard drive was aided by a 10-yard rush by Glenn on 4th-and-9 from the Clemson 45, along with a 17-yard pass on 3rd-and-short three plays later.

The touchdown, with 9:36 left in the game, made it 23-13 after the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Clemson quickly responded, but a tackle for a loss of four on 3rd-and-4 at the FSU 10 forced the Tigers to kick a field goal. That third-down stop came three plays after a 59-yard run began the drive.

Held to a field goal, it was still a two-score game at 26-13 with 6:38 remaining.

FSU was forced to punt on its next drive from its own 20, and the Tigers then added to their lead with a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 left. That made it 29-13, which proved to be the game's final score.

The Seminoles are off next weekend before they travel to Duke on October 18. The Friday night contest in Durham, North Carolina, will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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Team Stats

Brock Glenn

Players Mentioned

Ja’Khi Douglas

Brock Glenn

Omar Graham Jr.

Edwin Joseph

Kevin Knowles II

Patrick Payton

Cam Riley

Landen Thomas

Amaree Williams

Florida State University Athletics