If we beat FSU I will be the most surprised since FSU 2003.

Sep 18, 2023, 11:36 AM

In my opinion FSU was a better team in 2003 than they are now. But that 2003 Clemson team was so hit or miss. We actually had better WRs then than we do now, (Hamilton, Youngblood, Currie) and that was a big part of our win. The deep ball was on. Our defense went absolutely crazy that night and played out of their minds. Charlie Whitehurst was a more reliable deep ball QB than Cade (at this point). We had the most underrated Clemson player in the last quarter century at TE in Ben Hall. We had the dudes with enough fight to get it done.

And our fans were HUNGRY. We were mad at Bowden and ready to let him go after another disappointing start to the year. But Clemson fans were relatively humble, and barely anybody thought we would smack FSU down hard that night. I remember when Hamilton caught that long TD to seal it. Clemson fans were just as ecstatic on that play as I have ever seen. People were about to cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLy_4Ok26I

I'm not THAT high on FSU this year. I just have not seen the professional assassin mentality from this Clemson squad that I have any faith we will win a big game under pressure. If we get blown out by Duke... then it stands to reason that we would lose by multiple scores to FSU. There is nothing I have seen against two extremely hapless and inferior opponents that has given us any assurances that we are a new team ready to reverse our fortunes against a top-5 opponent. I hope Clemson shocks me again. Everything feels like this game is setting up to be either a Custard's Last Stand; a decisive end to our self-identification among the elite dynasty.... or a slow, grinding reversal of our negative trajectory like Guadalcanal. (I would prefer we go ahead and nuke FSU immediately but I know better than to get my hopes up for such lofty dreams) Enjoy your week of optimism if that sort of thing makes you happy. I'll be dooming and glooming but I'll keep it to myself.