Florida State @ Clemson preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 13, 2010 ) Clemson 13, Florida State 16

THE STORY: No. 14 Florida State suffered a 23-13 home defeat to top-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday, while No. 22 Clemson rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit en route to a 38-24 victory over defending national champion Auburn. This game marks the ACC opener for both teams in a series that’s been dominated by the home team. In the last nine years, the home team is 8-1. Florida State is 7-4 all-time at Clemson but has dropped four straight by an average of 15 points.

TV: ESPN. Line: Clemson -2.5

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (2-1, 0-0 ACC): For the second straight year, the Seminoles had their national title chances ruined by an early-season loss to Oklahoma. Making matters worse, quarterback E.J. Manuel suffered a left shoulder injury, which could prevent him from playing on Saturday. Manuel has been inconsistent this year, throwing six touchdowns and four interceptions. If he's unable to go, the Seminoles, whose offense ranks seventh in the ACC, will likely turn to redshirt freshman Clint Trickett.

ABOUT CLEMSON (3-0, 0-0 ACC): The Tigers piled up 624 yards of total offense in their win over Auburn and now rank ninth in the country with 522 yards per game. The victory over Auburn was Clemson’s first since 1951, ending a streak of 14 losses. This is the middle game of a stretch of three straight Top-20 opponents for the Tigers, who face No. 11 Virginia Tech next weekend. Quarterback Tajh Boyd has 911 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception for an efficiency rating of 173.8, which ranks ninth nationally.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Florida State hasn’t won at Clemson since 2001, when it defeated the Tigers 41-27.

2. This meeting marks just the seventh time in the history of the series that both teams are ranked in the top 25, and the first time since 2000.

3. Clemson is seeking its first 4-0 start since 2007, when it climbed as high as No. 13 in the polls. That year, the Tigers opened the season with a victory over then-No. 21 Florida State.

PREDICTION: Florida State 28, Clemson 27 -- This is usually a competitive matchup, and this year should be no different. The Tigers are riding a wave of emotion after last week’s big win, but the Seminoles should bounce back with a strong effort and squeak out a tight victory.