CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Florida State vs Clemson Game Notes

Florida State vs Clemson Game Notes


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Bowden Bowl VII

Father will meet son for the seventh time in NCAA Division I college football

history on Saturday afternoon at noon. All seven have been matchups between

Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden and Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden.

Father Bowden has a 5-1 advantage in the previous Bowden Bowl matchups, but

Tommy won the last meeting held at Clemson in 2003. That was a landmark victory

for Tommy and the Clemson program. The Tigers defeated a third-ranked Florida

State team that entered the game with an 8-1 record by a 26-10 margin. It was

Clemson's first win over the Seminoles since Florida State joined the ACC in

1992 and it was also the highest ranked team Clemson has defeated in its

history.

The setting is different as far as the mindset of the two teams entering

today's game. In 2003, Clemson was coming off a 28-point defeat at Wake Forest,

a team that had a losing record entering that game. Florida State was coming off

a 38-0 win at Notre Dame. This year, Clemson comes in off a 29-point win over

Duke and Florida State is coming off a home loss to an NC State team that had a

losing record entering the game.

This will be the fourth Bowden Bowl held at Death Valley. Florida State has a

2-1 advantage in the previous three at Clemson, but all three games have been

close. Clemson won in 2003 and FSU had the aforementioned three-point win in

1999. Florida State won 41-27 in a high scoring game in 2001. The combined

scores of the three Bowden Bowls at Clemson have been FSU 68 and Clemson 67.


Bowden Bowl Game Summaries

1999--The first meeting in 1999 was a festive atmosphere at

Clemson as a record 86,092 fans attended, a Death Valley record that still

stands today. In addition to the hype concerning a father coaching against a son

for the first time, Bobby Bowden was going for career victory number-300. He got

it, but it was a struggle, as the Tigers fought the Seminoles to the wire before

#1 ranked Florida State came away with a 17-14 victory. It was the closest

victory for the Seminoles on the way to the 1999 National Championship. Clemson

had two offensive touchdowns to Florida State's one and Florida State's 17

points were the fewest scored by the Seminoles that year. Clemson drove to the

FSU 25 with two minutes left, but a 41-yard field goal attempt by Tony Lazzara

was tipped at the line of scrimmage. FSU rank out the clock from there.

2000--Florida State won the second meeting in 2000 in

Tallahassee by a 54-7 count. Clemson entered the game with an 8-1 record and #10

national ranking, while Florida State was ranked fourth in the nation. It was

just the third meeting of top 10 ACC teams in league history. Clemson was coming

off a heart-breaking 31-28 loss to Georgia Tech the previous week, a game that

Georgia Tech had won with a touchdown pass with just seven seconds left. Florida

State gained 771 yards of total offense, most ever against a Clemson team,

including 521 passing, also a high against a Clemson team.

2001-- In a game at Death Valley, Clemson gained 463 yards of

total offense against Florida State, its high total ever against the Seminoles,

but still lost 41-27. The Tigers could not stop freshman quarterback Chris Rix

and the Florida State passing game as the Seminoles threw for 369 yards and

gained 557 overall. Woody Dantzler had 336 yards of total offense, but it was

not enough as the Seminoles won for the sixth straight time in Death Valley.

2002--Florida State came away with a 48-31 victory in the

highest scoring Bowden Bowl. It was the most points scored by Clemson in

Tallahassee since its last victory in 1989. Clemson won the total offense war

441-386, as Willie Simmons had a career high 343 yards rushing and passing, the

most total offense in history by a Clemson player against the Seminoles. J.J.

McKelvey had five catches for 117 yards to key the Clemson offense. But, Florida

State scored on a 97-yard kickoff return by Leon Washington and Greg Jones

rushed for 165 yards and three scores to give Florida State its victory. Clemson

did successfully execute an on-side kick, still the only successful on-side kick

by the Tigers since 1979.

2003--Clemson finally defeated Bobby Bowden in Death Valley

with a convincing 26-10 victory. It was just the second of what would be three

losses for the Seminole in the 2003 season. Florida State was ranked third in

the nation entering the game and it was the highest ranked team Clemson has

beaten in history. Charlie Whitehurst threw for 272 yards to lead Clemson as

Bobby Bowden suffered a loss on his birthday for the first time ever. It was the

first loss for Bobby Bowden in Death Valley after six straight wins, the longest

winning streak for any opposing coach in the facility.

2004-Justin Miller set an NCAA record for kickoff return yards

with 282, but the eighth ranked Seminoles downed the Tigers 41-22. Clemson had

five turnovers on offense and gained just 173 yards of total offense. The

Seminoles had 33 more plays than Clemson. It was 24-22 with four minutes left in

the third when FSU scored the last 17 points of the game. Leon Washington scored

on a 35-yard run in the third to put FSU back up by nine points.

The Clemson vs. Florida State games the last six

years are not the only times Bowdens have been on opposite sides of the field.

In 1991, Auburn, with assistant coach Tommy Bowden, faced Southern Mississippi,

with assistant coach Jeff Bowden. Southern Mississippi upset Auburn that day.

Jeff Bowden will also be at the scene this year also as he is Florida State's

offensive coordinator.

Past Bowden Bowl Stats

 Year  Site Score CU-FS

Total Offense CU-FS

CU-FSU CU-FSU CU-FSU
1999 CU 14-17 265-356 126-98 139-258 1-1
2000 FSU 7-54 262-771 95-250 167-521 6-2
2001 CU 27-41 463-557 186-188 277-369 1-2
2002 FSU 31-48 441-386 107-272 334-114 4-0
2003 CU 26-10 425-369 153-11 272-358 1-3
2004 FSU 22-41 173-370 85-186 88-184 5-0
Totals   127-211 2029-2809 752-1005 1277-1804 18-8
Averages   21-35 338-468 125-168 213-300 3-1.3

Bowden Comparison

· Tommy Bowden has coached 104 games as a Division I head coach and he has won

67 times. Through 104 games as a Division I head coach at West Virginia and

Florida State, Bobby Bowden had the exact same 67-37 record.

· Florida State's record the two years prior to Bobby Bowden's arrival was 4-18.

Tulane's record the two years prior to Tommy Bowden's arrival was 4-18.

·Bobby Bowden had Florida State in a bowl games and a top 15 final national

ranking in his second year with the program. Tommy Bowden had Tulane and Clemson

in a bowl game and a top 15 national ranking in his second year with each

program.

· This is Bobby Bowden's 53rd season in coaching, his 30th as a head coach. This

is Tommy Bowden's 28th year in coaching (graduate assistant, full time assistant

or head coach) and his ninth as a head coach.

· Both Bowden's had perfect seasons as head coaches in the 1990s. Bobby had an

11-0 season at Florida State in 1999 after Tommy had a perfect 11-0 regular

season as head coach at Tulane.

Clemson-Florida State Series

Florida State holds a 15-3 advantage in the series with Clemson dating to a

38-13 Florida State win in Tallahassee in 1970. Clemson has three wins in the

series, but two took place in Tallahassee, in 1976 by a 15-12 score and in 1989

by a 34-23 score. Clemson's only win in Death Valley took place in 2003, a 26-10

victory.

Florida State is 7-1 at Clemson and 8-2 at Florida State against the Tigers.

Florida State had won 11 in a row prior to 2003 and all 11 had taken place since

Florida State joined the ACC in 1992. Florida State has been ranked in the top

20 in the nation heading into all 14 games in the series since the Seminoles

joined the ACC (including this year) . Clemson, Virginia (twice), NC State (four

times), Miami (FL), Maryland and North Carolina are the only league schools to

beat Florida State since they joined the league for the 1992 season, a total of

10 losses.

Clemson's 2005 Senior Class will attempt to be the first ACC class to beat

Florida State twice on the school's home turf since the Seminoles joined the

league. NC State beat them in consecutive years, once at Florida State and once

NC State (2001-02).

In four straight meetings between 1988 and 1993 both Clemson and Florida

State were ranked in the top 25. Both teams have been ranked in the top 25 of at

least one poll in seven of the last 14 meetings, including 2001 when Clemson

entered the game 24th in USA Today and Florida Sate was 14th in both polls. In

2000, in the game played in Tallahassee both were ranked in the top 10 of the

AP, as Clemson was 10th and Florida State was fourth. That marked just the third

time in ACC history that two league teams were ranked in the top 10 heading into

a contest.

The three meetings between the two teams played between 1988 and 1992, were

classics. In 1988, Florida State won at Clemson 24-21, thanks in part to the

famous "puntrooskie play", a 78-yard run on a fake punt by Leroy Butler, and a

76-yard punt return by Deion Sanders, the only time a Chris Gardocki punt was

returned for a touchdown in his Clemson career.

In 1989, Clemson defeated a Florida State team that ended the season ranked

third in the final AP poll by a 34-23 score. That was the only loss by Florida

State at home against a non-Florida team in a 17-year period. A pair of 73-yard

plays were pivotal for Clemson in that game. The late Wayne Simmons ran 73 yards

with an interception and Terry Allen ran 73 yards from scrimmage in the second

period to give Clemson a 28-7 lead. Clemson was trying to run out the clock on

Allen's run. Florida State scored in the last minute to close the gap to 11

points.

In 1992, before over 84,000 fans and a nationally televised audience at

Clemson, fifth-ranked Florida State defeated 15th-ranked Clemson 24-20 in Death

Valley. Florida State scored the winning TD in the final two minutes of the

contest behind the passing of Charlie Ward. Clemson did pick off four passes in

the game, including one that James Trapp returned for a touchdown. Trapp went on

to play 10 years in the NFL and that play certainly made the NFL scouts take

notice.

The 1997 game featured one of the greatest individual duals in the history of

Death Valley. Tony Horne gained 267 all-purpose yards in the game, while Florida

State's Peter Warrick had 372 for the Seminoles, including a 90-yard punt return

and an 80-yard pass reception. Horne's all-purpose running total is the second

highest in Clemson history, while Warrick's total is the most ever against

Clemson.

The 1999 game was certainly a series highlight as it was the first father-son

coaching matchup in NCAA history. Florida State claimed a 17-14 victory behind

the passing of Chris Weinke and went on to win the national championship. It was

the closest game the Seminoles had all season.

Last Year vs. Florida State

Florida State 41, Clemson 22

At Tallahassee, FL

Justin Miller's NCAA record 282 kickoff return yards were not enough to lift

Clemson to a win in Bowden Bowl VI, as #8 Florida State beat the Tigers 41-22 in

Tallahassee. Miller also tied an NCAA record by returning two kickoffs for

touchdowns. After Xavier Beitia kicked a 29-yard field goal to give Florida

State a 3-0 lead, Miller took the ensuing kickoff at his own three-yard line and

raced untouched 97 yards for a touchdown.

After forcing a Florida State punt, the Tigers got the ball back and drove 61

yards to the Seminole 23-yard line. On a second-down play, Charlie Whitehurst

was unable to handle the snap and Florida State recovered the fumble at its own

22-yard line. It was the first of five turnovers, while Florida State did not

commit a turnover.

Whitehurst was sacked and then fumbled the ball deep inside Clemson

territory. Florida State began the next drive at the Clemson nine, and on third

down, B.J. Dean scored on a two-yard run. At this point, starting quarterback

Chris Rix left the game with a leg injury, bringing Wyatt Sexton into the game.

It did not take the Seminoles long to strike again, as Whitehurst was picked off

by Leroy Smith on the next Tiger offensive snap. He returned it 41 yards for a

touchdown. The quick turn of events gave Florida State 14 points in just 18

seconds.

The Tigers answered the Seminole scores on their next drive, as Whitehurst

opened the series with a 23-yard run to the Florida State 27. On a third down

play from the 12, Whitehurst found Curtis Baham wide open for a touchdown.

Florida State took the second-half kickoff and scored on a Sexton to Chauncey

Stovall 47-yard touchdown pass.The Clemson defense forced Florida State to a

three-and-out, and C.J. Gaddis blocked Chris Hall's punt out of the endzone for

a safety.

On the following free kick, Miller caught the ball on his own 14-yard line

and again raced 86 yards untouched for his second kickoff return for a touchdown

of the day. Whitehurst was stopped just shy of the endzone on the two-point

conversion attempt, and the Seminoles held on to a 24-22 lead.

Late in the third quarter, Leon Washington broke through the Tiger defense

and raced down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown run. The Clemson offense

could never get on track in the second half, and after another Chason punt, the

Seminoles took over at their own 49. Florida State needed only one passing play

on a scoring drive that covered 51 yards on 10 plays and chewed 4:42 off the

clock. The drive culminated in a James Coleman one-yard run on fourth and goal.

Miller had 282 yards on his six kickoff returns, 34 more than any other

player in NCAA history. Leroy Hill led the defense with 13 tackles and three

tackles for loss.

Florida State's Last Trip to Clemson

Clemson 26, Florida State 10

November 8, 2003

Clemson ended 14 years of frustration by defeating #3 Florida State 26-10 in

front of 79,826 fans in Death Valley. The win over the third-ranked Seminoles

was the highest-ranked victory in Clemson history. It also marked the first time

since 1989 that Clemson defeated Florida State. The victory came just one week

after Clemson had suffered a 45-17 loss at Wake Forest.

Several landmarks occurred in the 16-point victory for Clemson. For coach Tommy

Bowden, it was his first win in five tries against father Bobby.

Aaron Hunt became Clemson's all-time scoring leader with 302 points, breaking

Nelson Welch's previous record of 301. Derrick Hamilton became the school's

all-time all-purpose yardage leader with 4,412, breaking Travis Zachery's

record. Charlie Whitehurst broke Woodrow Dantzler's single-season record for

passing yards (2,682) with two regular season games remaining.

Clemson set the tone in the game's opening moments. On its first offensive

possession, the Tigers moved 65 yards in 11 plays before Aaron Hunt connected on

a 23-yard field goal.

On Florida State's ensuing possession, Tye Hill notched his second interception

of the season when he stepped in front of a long Chris Rix pass. The Tigers

tacked on Hunt's second field goal minutes later, giving Clemson a 6-0 lead.

Clemson got the ball back with less than three minutes to go in the first

half. Whitehurst drove the Tigers from their own 35-yard line. The big play was

a 51-yard hookup with Youngblood on third-and-10. Three plays later, Whitehurst

rolled to the right and then scrambled back to the left for a one-yard touchdown

run. His effort gave Clemson a 13-0 lead at halftime.

Florida State missed a field goal on its opening possession of the second

half. Clemson took advantage by marching 63 yards in 11 plays. Hunt kicked his

third field goal of the game from 32 yards away, giving Clemson a 16-0 cushion.

The drive was set up by Whitehurst, who zipped a pass between three defenders as

he was getting hit and found Curtis Baham for a 23-yard gain on third down.

The Seminoles responded with three points, as Xavier Beitia made a 46-yard

field goal. However, Clemson put the game away on the next two drives. First,

Whitehurst executed a pump-fake to the right before throwing left to a streaking

Hamilton. His 58-yard touchdown catch gave Clemson a commanding 23-3 lead.

Clemson kept the intensity up, as Leroy Hill intercepted a Rix pass four plays

later.

On the next Seminole drive, David Dunham sacked Rix 10 yards behind the line

of scrimmage and forced a fumble. It was recovered by DeJuan Polk of Clemson.

Hunt came on to nail his fourth field goal of the night, giving Clemson the 26-3

lead. Florida State finally scored a touchdown in the final three minutes of the

contest. Chauncey Stovall was able to get behind the Tiger secondary for a

71-yard touchdown, but it mattered little at that point of the game.

Whitehurst was outstanding in his first career start against Florida State.

He finished 17-27 for 272 yards and one touchdown pass and he also rushed for 39

yards and a touchdown. His favorite target was Hamilton, who grabbed six balls

for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Hunt came into the game needing 14 points to set the school scoring record,

and he did just that. He was 4-4 on field goals and 2-2 on extra points.

Defensively, the Tigers held Florida State to 11 rushing yards the entire

game, the fewest total by Florida State in the Bobby Bowden era. Leroy Hill had

10 tackles and was named ACC Lineman-of-the-Week. Clemson also blitzed more than

normal, and the result was 15 quarterback hurries in the contest. Tye Hill

played well for Clemson, as he grabbed his second career interception and also

had another pass breakup in earning ACC Defensive Back-of-the-Week honors.

Travis Pugh tied for the team lead in tackles with 10 from his free safety

position.

Game's Winningest Coach Comes to Death Valley

College football's winningest coach is also the winningest opposing coach in the

history of Death Valley. That is saying something since the facility dates to

the 1942 season. Bobby Bowden has a 6-1 record in Clemson Memorial Stadium and

the six wins are one more than Vince Dooley (5-4-1) had as the head coach at

Georgia between 1964-89. Peahead Walker, Shug Jordan, Bill Dooley and Jerry

Claiborne all had four wins over Clemson in the stadium.

This will be Bobby Bowden's eighth game against Clemson in Memorial Stadium.

That is the fifth most games against the Tigers in Memorial Stadium. Bill Dooley

and Lonnie McMillan coached against Clemson here 12 times apiece. Bill Dooley

was 4-8 in his 12 games coached with three teams, as he brought North Carolina,

Virginia Tech and Wake Forest to challenge the Tigers. McMillan coached all 12

of his games while leading Presbyterian.

It was McMillan who actually gave Clemson Memorial Stadium the name "Death

Valley." He called it that because he told the media he was going up to Clemson

to open the season at "Death Valley", and he said his team was probably going to

get killed. Coach Frank Howard started calling it that in the late 1940s and the

name stuck. McMillan was 1-11 in his 12 games at Clemson.

Bobby Bowden has recorded two of his many landmark victories in Clemson

Memorial Stadium. In 1997, in a game against a Tommy West coached Clemson team,

Bowden won his 200th victory as Florida State head coach in a 35-28 Florida

State win. Two years later he won his 300th game as a college coach with a 17-14

win at Clemson. Now, his son will be attempting a landmark win in his career

against him. Tommy will be going for his 50th win at Clemson when the Seminoles

come to Death Valley on Saturday.


Clemson-Florida State Connections

There are many connections between Clemson and Florida State in terms of

coaching and administrative personnel:

* Clemson Assistant Head Coach and offensive line coach Brad Scott served as

offensive coordinator of Florida State's National Championship team of 1993. He

served as an assistant with the Florida State program from 1983-93, including

the 1990-93 era when he was offensive coordinator. He has a master's degree from

Florida State in athletic administration, a degree he earned in 1984. He was on

the Florida State sideline in 1988 when the Seminoles executed the "Puntrooskie

play".

* Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews served in the same capacity

for Clemson between 1976-80 and held the assistant head coach title under Danny

Ford in 1980.

* Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden was a graduate assistant at Florida State in

1978 and 1979, then served as tight ends coach of the Seminoles in 1981 and

1982.

* Clemson defensive backs coach Jack Hines was a graduate assistant at Florida

State in 1985-86. He is married to Robyn Bowden, one of Bobby Bowden's

daughters. Hines played for Bowden at West Virginia.

* Tommy Bowden's brother Jeff Bowden is the offensive coordinator for Florida

State.

* Hootie Ingram, now retired and living in Alabama, was Clemson's head football

coach from 1970-72, then served as Florida State's Athletic Director in the

1980s.

Florida State Update

Florida State has already clinched a berth in the ACC Championship game on

December 3 in Jacksonville. The Seminoles have two ACC losses, but have clinched

the tie breakers no matter who has a chance to finish in a tie with them.

Florida State has led the ACC in passing most of the year and they average 309

yards per game , 60 more yards per game than second place Boston College. Drew

Weatherford, a red-shirt freshman, leads the ACC in total offense with 258 yards

per game, 25 more per game than second place Charlie Whitehurst of the Tigers.

Weatherford also leads the ACC in passing yards per game with 258.1 and he has

thrown for 15 touchdowns.

His favorite target is freshman Greg Carr, a 6-6 wide receiver who has 22

receptions for 470 yards and nine touchdowns. He has an ACC best 21.4 yards per

reception and he will be a challenge for Clemson cornerback Tye Hill. Hill and

the Clemson defense did an outstanding job on Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson two

weeks ago, limiting Tech to 126 yards passing, including a season low 46 yards

to Johnson. Chris Davis is also an outstanding pass catcher with 38 receptions

for 525 yards.

Florida State has a strong defense, allowing 290 yards per game, third best

in the ACC. They allow just 171 yards per game in the air, fourth best in the

conference. The top tackler is A.J. Nicholson, a semifinalist for the Butkus

Award, who has a team best 74 tackles in nine games. He had 13 stops, including

three tackles for loss against NC State. Pat Wakins is a senior defender who has

52 tackles, while Erie Sims has added 48 stops. Kamerion Wimbley is third in the

ACC in sacks with 7.5 and has 10.5 tackles for loss overall to rank seventh in

the league.

One of the reserves on the Florida State offensive line is Dumaka Atkins, a

freshman from Sarasota, FL. He will be the second member of his family to play

against Clemson in Death Valley this year. His brother, Baraka Atkins, is a

starting defensive lineman for the University of Miami. Baraka was credited with

four tackles in Miami's triple overtime win at Clemson this year.

Clemson Offense Up Almost 100 Yards Per Game

Clemson has made a strong improvement in terms of offense this year. The Tigers

have gone from 295.6 yards per game in 2004 to 394.3 yards per game so far in

2005. That is an improvement of 98.7 yards per game over last season, the eighth

best total offense improvement in the nation, and the top improvement in the ACC

. It might surprise some that Southern Cal is the most improved team in the

nation in terms of total offense so far this year. The Trojans were obviously

good in 2004 with a 449.1 average, but they have trumped that with an average of

593.6 yards per game so far this year.

Clemson has improved by 64 places in the national rankings in total offense

over last year. Clemson is currently 46th after ranking 110th at the end of the

2004 season. A check to Clemson history shows that a 98.7- yard improvement

would be the second biggest gain from one year to another on record. Clemson

improved by 107.3 yards per game from 1994 to 1995 under offensive coordinator

Clyde Christensen. Like Rob Spence, Christensen was in his first year at Clemson

in 1995. He is now a quarterbacks coach in the NFL. Christensen and Spence

coached together at Maryland in 1992 and 1993.

A look to the ACC stats for this year shows that Clemson is second in the

league in total offense at 394.3 yards per game, fourth in rushing at 157.3

yards per game, and fourth in passing at 237.0 yards per game. The Tigers are

the only ACC team to rank in the top four in the conference in rushing offense

and passing offense. Passing efficiency has also made a dramatic improvement

this year under offensive coordinator Rob Spence. Clemson has a 135.8 team

efficiency rating so far this year, second best in the ACC. Clemson's team

efficiency last year was just 96.0.

Most Improved Teams in Total Offense

Rk School 2004 2005 Improve
1. Southern Cal 449.1 593.6 +144.5
2. Notre Dame 345.1 474.0 +128.5
3. Penn State 310.7 437.4 +126.7
4. Washington State 368.6 491.1 +122.5
5. Central Florida 280.0 401.2 +121.2
6. New Mexico 298.0 410.8 +112.8
7. Iowa 312.7 419.6 +106.9
8. Clemson 295.6 394.3 +98.7
9. Northwestern 409.5 508.1 +98.6
10. Maryland 298.0 383.9 +85.9

 

Most Improved Total Offense

Teams in Clemson History

Rk First Year (Figure) Second year (Figure) Impr
1. 1994 (272.4) 1995 (379.7) +107.3
2. 2004 (295.6) 2005 (394.3) +98.7
3. 1972 (266.2) 1973 (364.5) +98.3
4. 1998 (304.9) 1999 (402.6) +97.7
5. 1977 (339.6) 1978 (427.8) +88.2
6. 1956 (251.2) 1957 (327.7) +76.5
7. 1949 (312.4) 1950 (388.1) +75.7
8. 1940 (265.7) 1941 (330.8) +65.1

Clemson on Senior Day

This will be the final home game for Clemson's 20 seniors. Clemson has won seven

straight Senior Day games tying for the longest streak of wins on this special

day in Clemson history. Clemson's last loss on Senior Day was in 1997 to a 10th

ranked North Carolina team by a 17-10 score.

Tommy Bowden is 6-0 on Senior Day games as Clemson's head coach and is 7-1 in

his career as a head coach. His only Senior Day loss was to Mississippi during

his first year at Tulane.

Last year's Clemson victory on Senior Day tied the record of seven set between

1957-63. South Carolina ended that streak with a victory in 1964 at Clemson.

Overall, Clemson is 68-33-3 on Senior Day over the years. Five seasons Clemson

has not had a home game and thus didn't have a Senior Day.

Here are some of the highlights for this 2005 Senior Class:

· Has already recorded five wins over top 25 teams, including a season opening

win over 17th ranked Texas A&M. Florida State is also ranked 17th entering this

game so it would put symmetry to the senior's final year with bookend wins over

17th ranked teams.

· A sixth win over a top 25 team would give this senior group the most wins over

ranked teams as a class since the 1994 seniors had seven top 25 wins.

· Has three wins over top 10 teams in a 2003 win over #3 Florida State, 2004

Peach Bowl over #6 Tennessee and a 2004 win at 10th ranked Miami (FL). The

seniors of 2004 are the only other class with three wins over top 10 teams since

the seniors of 1984.

· Has been bowl eligible each of their first three seasons and will have two

chances to reach that accomplishment in the remaining games. Clemson has an

overall record of 27-19 with this class and has been at least .500 in the ACC in

each season. Clemson needs to defeat Florida State to be .500 in the ACC again

this year.

· Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst has led the Tigers to 22 victories in the last

four years, tied for third best in Clemson history with all-time great Homer

Jordan. He has established 40 records during his Clemson career, including

career marks for passing yardage, total offense, touchdown passes and

completions.

· Has a 3-0 record against South Carolina so far in their careers and will

strive to be the first Clemson senior class to have a 4-0 record against

Clemson's state rival since the seniors of 2000.

· Has finished each of the last two years by winning five of its last six games.

They have a chance to do it for the third consecutive year.

Clemson Seniors in 2005

Name Pos. Hometown
Curtis Baham WR New Orleans, LA
Charles Bennett DE Camden, SC
Kyle Browning RB Union, SC
Cole Downer TE Chantilly, VA
David Dunham LB Lake City, FL
Matt Forbush S Kingsport, TN
Jamaal Fudge S Jacksonville, FL
Stephen Furr PK Lakeland, FL
Cory Groover DT Johnsonville, SC
Cliff Harrell FB Tallahassee, FL
Tye Hill CB Saint George, SC
Steven Jackson FB Columbia, SC
Rush Lowther QB Darlington, SC
Duncan McLaurin WR Dillon, SC
Chip Myrick OG Atlanta, GA
Lionel Richardson LB Huger, SC
David Schlink DT Katy, TX
Trey Tate DT Gaffney, SC
Charlie Whitehurst QB Duluth, GA
Bobby Williamson TE Tarpon Springs, FL

Using Proctor No Gamble

Will Proctor made his first career start in the win over Duke last Saturday. The

native of Orlando was in for Charlie Whitehurst, who has battled a sore shoulder

the second half of the season. It was the first game Whitehurst has missed since

the 2002 season, the first start he has missed since the 2002 NC State game.

Whitehurst had started a Clemson record 37 consecutive games at quarterback

prior to the Duke game. Ironically, his streak started at Duke in 2002 as a

freshman.

Proctor had a strong opening start. The junior connected on 13 of 21 passes

for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He connected on touchdown passes of 40 and 11

yards to Chansi Stuckey, the first two touchdown receptions of Stuckey's career.

Proctor had thrown just 13 career passes prior to the Duke game. He is now 18-31

for 281 yards and three touchdowns without an interception for this season. That

computes to a 166.1 passing efficiency rating.

Proctor came off the bench to help Clemson to a 25-24 win over Texas A&M to

start the season. Whitehurst had some dizziness after a hit in the fourth

quarter and it was Proctor who came on and quarterbacked the Tigers on the final

drive to the game winning field goal. He has appeared in three games at

quarterback this year, all victories.

Clemson Records Another 200-200 Game

Most teams strive for offensive balance because an ability to rush and throw the

ball with effectiveness usually translates to a victory. That has been the case

in Clemson history. A look to the records shows that Clemson has never lost a

game in which it has had at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing on

offense.

That pattern continued in the victory over Duke as Clemson rushed for 234

yards and passed for 216, giving Clemson 450 total. It was the second time this

year Clemson has had at least 200 of each. In the win at NC State, the Tigers

had 243 yards rushing and 246 yards passing in the 31-10 victory.

Overall, Clemson has now had 18 games in which it has had at least 200 yards

rushing and 200 yards passing under Tommy Bowden. Clemson is now 44-0-1 when it

has at least 200 yards of each category, including 37 consecutive wins dating to

1976. The only time Clemson has failed to gain victory when it had at least 200

rushing and 200 passing took place in a 24-24 tie with Georgia Tech in 1976.

A 200-yard rushing game by itself is usually a good indicator of victory for

Clemson. The Tigers are 2-0 this year and 22-1 under Tommy Bowden when they rush

for at least 200 yards. The lone loss took place in 1999, his first season, when

Clemson rushed for 231 yards at Georgia Tech, but lost 45-42. Clemson has won 19

consecutive games over six years when it rushes for at least 200 yards.

Merriweather, Davis a Strong Combo

Reggie Merriweather and James Davis are developing into a strong one-two punch.

Both are ranked in the top seven in the ACC in rushing, as Merriweather is fifth

with 73.2 yards per game and Davis is seventh at 64.9 yards per game. Clemson is

the only team in the ACC with two of the top seven rushers in the league.

The duo combined for 189 yards in 26 attempts against Duke, a 7.3 average. It

was the second highest single game performance for them as a duo, as they had

190 yards in the win at NC State. One or the other has rushed for at least 100

yards in each of the last four games. Merriweather had 104 yards in 18 attempts

and scored three touchdowns in the win over Duke, while Davis added 85 yards in

eight attempts and a touchdown against the Blue Devils.

Merriweather now leads the team in touchdowns with seven and has now scored

17 touchdowns in his last 15 games. The performance against Duke marked the

third time in the last 15 games he has scored three in a game. He also did it

against Miami (FL) and South Carolina last year.

Merriweather has 659 yards so far this year and a 5.3 average to go with

seven touchdowns. The native of North Augusta, SC needs just 11 yards rushing to

reach his total of last year when he led the Tigers with 670 yards. He has had

at least 100 yards rushing in each of the last three games, the first Clemson

running back to have at least three consecutive 100-yard games since 1996 when

Raymond Priester had at least 100 yards in each of the last four games that

year.

Davis has 519 rushing yards, the most by a Clemson freshman since Travis

Zachery had 635 in 1998. Zachery was a red-shirt freshman that year. Davis's

total is the most by a first-year freshman since Ronald Williams had 941 in

1990.

Both players are over 500 yards for the season already. This is the first

time two different Clemson players have rushed for at least 500 yards in the

same season since 2003 when Duane Coleman had 615 and Chad Jasmin had 523.

Clemson has not had a pair of 600-yard running backs since 1989 when Joe

Henderson had 848 and Terry Allen had 613. It should be noted that Woody

Dantzler and Travis Zachery both rushed for over 1000 yards in 2000, but

Dantzler was a quarterback.

For the season, Merriweather and Davis have combined for 1178 yards on 217

attempts, a 5.4 average, and 12 rushing touchdowns. The have 21 pass receptions

between them for an additional 122 yards.

Merriweather Sets Clemson Record

Clemson running back Reggie Merriweather scored the game winning touchdown for

the Tigers in the 28-24 win at Maryland on September 10. His 38-yard jaunt

around right end on a third-and-seven play with 2:58 left marked the second

straight year and third time in his career that he had scored a game winning

touchdown with three minutes or less left in game. In fact, it was the third

time he had done it in a seven-game period.

Merriweather scored from two yards out with 23 seconds left to give Clemson a

10-7 win over Maryland in 2004, then scored from a yard out in overtime against

Miami just a couple of weeks later. Clemson kept the Hurricanes out of the

endzone and Clemson had the victory.

When Merriweather scored his game winner at Maryland he became the first

player in Clemson history to score three fourth-quarter game winning touchdowns

in a career. Prior to the Maryland game, Merriweather was joined in the Tiger

record books in that category by Fred Cone, Doug Cline, George Usry, Lowndes

Shingler and Jerry Butler. Merriweather is now one game-winning play behind

David Treadwell. Treadwell booted a fourth-quarter game winning field goal for

Clemson four times in his career, including consecutive years within the last 10

seconds against Georgia (1986-87).

Tigers From Florida

Clemson has 17 players on its roster from the state of Florida. That list

includes starters Jamaal Fudge and Bobby Williamson, and Will Proctor, who

started the Duke game at quarterback. This will obviously be a special day for

seniors David Dunham, Jamaal Fudge, Stephen Furr, Cliff Harrell and Bobby

Williamson who are all seniors from the state of Florida. This will be their

final home game in a Clemson uniform. Clemson has had victories over schools

from the state of Florida each of the last two years. Clemson defeated Florida

State in 2003 and won at Miami (FL) in 2004.

Clemson Players From Florida

Player Pos Yr City High School
Christian Capote OL *So. Miami Killian
Chris Clemons DB *Fr. Arcadia DeSoto
Duane Coleman RB *Jr. Naples Naples
Brandon Croley CB *Fr. Jacksonville First Coast
Andrew Diomonde WR *Fr. Miami Christopher Columbus
David Dunham LB Sr. Lake City Columbia
#Jamaal Fudge CB Sr. Jacksonville White
Stephen Furr PK Sr. Lakeland Lakeland
Cliff Harrell FB Sr. Tallahassee N. Florida Chris. Acad.
Bobby Hutchinson C Sr. Greenville Madison County
Paul Muse TE Fr. Jacksonville First Coast
Will Proctor QB Jr. Winter Park Trinity Prep
Akeem Robinson OT *Fr. Miami Carol City
Quentez Ruffin OT Fr. Tallahassee Leon
Taylor Tremel OL *Fr. Lake Mary Lake Mary
#Bobby Williamson DE Sr. Tarpon Springs East Lake


#Denotes starter

Stuckey Leads ACC in Receptions

Chansi Stuckey had another strong game against Duke and continues to lead the

ACC in receptions per game with 5.22 per contest. He has a slim lead over Calvin

Johnson of Georgia Tech. Stuckey had a breakout game against the Blue Devils

with five receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns. That's right two

touchdowns! Those were the first two touchdown receptions of Stuckey's career

and they came on consecutive Clemson pass plays over the second and third

periods. He scored on an 11-yard catch from Will Proctor with seven seconds left

in the first half, then scored on a 40-yard reception on Clemson's first drive

of the second half.

Stuckey had 71 receptions to open his career without a touchdown catch, then

had scoring receptions on catches 72 and 73. Stuckey enters the Florida State

game with 47 receptions for 579 yards. He is first in the ACC in receptions per

game and fourth in reception yards per game with a 64.3 average. He is

attempting to give Clemson consecutive ACC reception leaders. Airese Currie, now

with the Chicago Bears, led the ACC in receptions last year when he had 61 in 11

games.

Stuckey has been more than just a pass catcher for the Tigers. He is the

team's leader in punt returns and ranks seventh in the ACC in that category with

8.2 yards per return. His 47-yard punt return for a score against Texas A&M was

Clemson's only touchdown in that Tiger victory. He is Clemson's leader in

all-purpose running with an average of 93 yards per game, eighth in the ACC. He

had a 159-yard performance against Duke has he had yardage in rushing,

receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns.

Stuckey had eight catches for 89 yards at Georgia Tech (including 49 yards

after the catch), so he has had consecutive outstanding games. Earlier he had

103-yard receiving game against NC State on eight receptions. Over two years he

has at least one catch in 18 straight games that he has played. He missed two

games last year due to injury. Stuckey's 5.22 receptions per game would be fifth

best in Clemson history if the season ended today. The record is 6.75 catches

per game by Rod Gardner in 1999, a year in which he had a school record 80

receptions.

Stuckey Joins Exclusive Club

Clemson Chansi Stuckey became just the third player in Clemson history to

account for a touchdown through four different means when he caught a pair in

the win over duke. He threw two touchdown passes as a freshman quarterback at

Wake Forest in 2003, then ran for a touchdown as a reserve quarterback at South

Carolina in 2003. He scored a touchdown on a punt return against Texas A&M in

2005.

The other two Tigers to account for touchdowns four different ways are Bobby

Gage and Ray Mathews. Both did it four different ways in the same season. Gage

scored on a run, pass, reception and kickoff return in 1947, while Mathews

scored on a run, pass, reception and punt return in 1948.

Clemson Has Played Six Nail Biters

Clemson's season of close games this year continued at Georgia Tech on October

29. The Yellow Jackets won by a 10-9 score. Clemson had the ball in Georgia Tech

territory with under three minutes left, but could not convert a fourth-and

eight play.

Over the last 15 games, Clemson has a 10-5 record. All five of the losses

have been by six points or less. Clemson has lost four games this year by a

total of 14 points. That list includes two overtime games, so the point

difference in regulation in those four losses this year is just five points.

This is the longest stretch without a loss by more than six points since the

1986-87 era when Clemson went 15 consecutive games without a loss by at least

seven points. That streak started with a 28-20 win at Wake Forest on November 1,

1986 and ended when South Carolina defeated the Tigers 20-7 in Columbia on

November 21, 1987. Over the last 15 games the only blemishes on Clemson's record

have been a 16-13 loss at Duke, a 36-30 triple overtime loss to Miami (FL), a

16-13 overtime loss to Boston College, a 31-27 loss to Wake Forest, and the 10-9

loss to Georgia Tech. Four of those five losses the winning opponent points were

scored within the last 33 seconds of the game.

Clemson's first five games of the 2005 season were decided with offensive or

defensive plays within the last minute of play. That includes four of the five

that were decided within the last two seconds, four on the last play of the

game. Clemson and Navy were the only schools in the nation to have each of their

first five games decided by seven points or less.

As far as Clemson history is concerned, this was the first time since 1906

that Clemson played five consecutive games in the same season that were decided

by seven points or less. That year Clemson had three scoreless ties (Virginia

Tech, NC State and Davidson), had a 6-0 win over Georgia and a 6-4 win over

Auburn, to start the season. The streak was broken at NC State when Clemson came

away with a 31-10 victory.


Tigers Have Just Nine Turnovers and 46 Penalties

Clemson lost four turnovers and committed eight penalties in the 10-9 loss to

Georgia Tech on October 29. Those mistakes contributed to the loss, but

certainly were the exception for this 2005 Clemson team. The Tigers lost three

fumbles in the first half after going 499 consecutive offensive plays without a

fumble. Clemson was the last team in the nation to lose a fumble after going the

first seven games without losing. Reggie Merriweather broke string with a lost

fumble on a play that was first called down, but later changed to a lost fumble

by instant replay. It was Merriweather's first lost fumble as a Tiger on his

238th career carry.

While Clemson made mistakes against Tech, the Tigers are still ranked high

nationally in terms of not committing turnovers or penalties. Clemson has lost

nine turnovers for the season (none in the 49-20 win over Duke) on three lost

fumbles and six interceptions, tied for the fourth fewest turnovers in the

nation. Only Central Michigan (6), UCLA (7) and UAB (8) have fewer turnovers on

offense thatn Clmeosn this year.

With three lost fumbles, Clemson is tied for third in the nation in fewest

fumbles lost. Rutgers and UAB have both lost two fumbles so far this year.

Clemson is one of six teams with three lost fumbles. The Tigers are also 12th in

the nation in fewest penalties committed with 46 in nine games.

Whitehurst Needs 163 Yards for Third 2000-yard Season

Charlie Whitehurst needs just 163 yards passing to reach the 2000-yard passing

mark for the third time in his career. When he does he will own three of the top

five 2000-yard passing seasons in Clemson history. Whitehurst owns the Clemson

record with 3561 yards during Clemson's 13-game schedule in 2003. He had 2067

last year, which is the fourth most passing yards in a season. Woody Dantzler

and Nealon Greene are the only other Clemson quarterbacks with a 2000-yard

passing season.

Whitehurst ranks sixth in ACC history in passing yards, but will move into

the top five with his next completion. Spence Fisher, ironically a Duke

quarterback (1992-95) is just two yards ahead of Whitehurst.

ACC Career Passing Yardage Leaders

Rk Player School Years Yards
1. Philip Rivers NC State 2000-03 13,484
2. Chris Weinke Florida State 1997-00 9,839
3. Ben Bennett Duke 1980-83 9,614
4. Jamie Barnette NC State 1996-99 9,461
5. Spence Fisher Duke 1992-95 9,021
6. Charlie Whitehurst Clemson 2002-05 9,019
7. Joe Hamilton Georgia Tech 1996-99 8,882
8. Darian Durant North Carolina 2001-04 8,755
9. Shawn Jones Georgia Tech 1989-92 8,441
10. Chris Rix Florida State 2001-04 8,390


 

Clemson Single Season Passing Yards Bests

Rk Player Year Com-Att Yards
1. Charlie Whitehurst 2003 288-465 3561
2. Woody Dantzler 2001 203-334 2578
3. Nealon Greene 1997 180-290 2212
4. Charlie Whitehurst 2004 177-349 2067
5. Brandon Streeter 1998 150-282 1948
6. Charlie Whitehurst 2005 170-253 1837

Whitehurst Breaks Total Offense Record

Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst became Clemson's career total offense

record holder in the win over Temple. The graduate had an even 300-yard game and

now has 9,122 yards for his career. Woodrow Dantzler held the Clemson mark with

8,798 yards. Whitehurst is now eighth on the ACC list. He needs just 174 yards

to move ahead of Chris Rix and Shawn Jones into sixth place in ACC history.

Few observers felt Dantzler's record would ever be broken because of his

ability as a runner and passer. But, Whitehurst has already trumped Dantzler's

passing numbers and should break the total offense mark on Saturday. Whitehurst

has appeared in 41 games for the Tigers, including 37 in a row as the starting

quarterback.

Whitehurst holds 40 Clemson records, including 14 career marks. He is already

the Clemson career record holder for passing yards, completions, completion

percentage and touchdown passes. His 22 career victories fourth in school

history. He moved ahead of Steve Fuller and Mike Eppley with the win over

Temple. That career record is an unattainable 32 wins by Rodney Williams

(1985-8), but Whitehurst certainly hopes to reach Nealon Greene's 24 wins

between 1994-97.

So far this season, Whitehurst has completed 67.2 percent of his passes,

ahead of the single season mark of 63 percent by Brandon Streeter in 1999.

ACC Career Leaders in Total

Offense

Rk Player School Years Yards
1. Philip Rivers NC State 2000-03 13,582
2. Joe Hamilton Georgia Tech 1996-99 10,640
3. Jamie Barnette NC State 1996-99 9,638
4. Darian Durant North Carolina 2001-04 9,630
5. Chris Weinke Florida State 1997-00 9,473
6. Shawn Jones Georgia Tech 1989-92 9,296
7. Chris Rix Florida State 2001-04 9,213
8. Charlie Whitehurst Clemson 2002-05 9,122
9. Spence Fisher Duke 1992-95 9,110
10. Ben Bennett Duke 1980-83 9,061
11. Woodrow Dantzler Clemson 1998-01 8,798

Fudge Has Nine Career Interceptions

Fudge has two interceptions this year and nine for his career. He is attempting

to lead Clemson in interceptions for a third consecutive season, something no

Tiger has ever done. Currently, Tye Hill is ahead of him with three

interceptions. Fudge has a fumble recovery this year and two caused fumbles,

including one last week at Georgia Tech. He has four caused fumbles in his

career. He has two career fumble recoveries to go with the nine interceptions,

giving him 11 career takeaways.

The native of Jacksonville, FL is following in the footsteps of Jacksonville

native Brian Dawkins, now an All-Pro with the Philadelphia Eagles, when it comes

to tackling. Fudge is known for his fierce tackling from the secondary and the

53 tackles for the season to rank fourth on the Clemson team. He now has262 for

his career, more than any other active Tiger. Fudge has now started 33

consecutive games and has played in 46 in a row. Fudge has never missed a

Clemson game.


Tigers Hold Pack to 10 Points

Clemson had a strong defensive performance in the win over NC State. Overall,

the 21-point victory margin was the best for Clemson in the series with the Pack

since 1996 when Clemson won by 23 points in a 40-17 victory at Death Valley. The

21-point victory margin was the largest for the Tigers in any ACC game since a

40-7 win over Duke at Clemson in 2003. It was the largest margin of victory in

an ACC road game since a 39-3 win at Georgia Tech in 2003.

The Tigers were outstanding on offense and defense. The 489 yards of total

offense were the most by a Clemson team in any game since the Tigers recorded

542 yards of offense at South Carolina in 2003. Clemson held the Pack to 267

yards of offense and just 92 yards rushing in scoring 10 points. It was the

fewest points scored by NC State against Clemson since a 30-10 Tiger victory at

Clemson in 1989. It was the fewest points scored by NC State against the Tigers

in Raleigh since 1988.

The 267 yards of total defense ranked as the best by the Clemson defense this

year, as was the 4.2 yards per play allowed and the 88.1 passing efficiency

defense, and the one touchdown allowed.

Clemson Defense Solid vs. Miami

The NCAA overtime rule can play havoc with the evaluation of various statistics.

That is the case with Clemson's defensive performance against Miami (FL) in the

most recent game, a 36-30 Miami triple overtime win. Miami scored 16 of its 36

points in the three overtime periods, which will hurt Clemson's scoring defense

stats all year. The same goes for total offense and yards per game, as Miami

gained 73 yards in the overtime.

Through the 60 minutes of regulation, the Hurricanes gained just 264 yards of

total offense, 49 yards less than they gained against Florida State's famed

defensive unit. The Hurricanes threw for just 109 yards on 23 pass attempts

during regulation as Vic Koenning's defensive unit allowed less than five yards

per pass attempt. Clemson allowed just 5-14 third-down conversions in regulation

and allowed just 15 first downs. Miami gained just 4.0 yards per play during

regulation.

Anthony Waters led Clemson in tackles for the second consecutive game in the

Miami loss with 11. C.J. Gaddis had his second consecutive double figure tackle

game with 10, while Sergio Gilliam had a career high nine stops, including one

behind the line of scrimmage.

Hill on Thorpe Award List

Clemson cornerback Tye Hill was a mid-season addition to the Jim Thorpe Award

list. The Tiger senior was not on the preseason list because he was not a

returning all-conference player, but he has reached the award's radar screen

with his strong performance so far this season. Hill is fifth on the Clemson

team in tackles with 47, including 36 first hits. He has three interceptions to

lead the Clemson team and leads the Clemson team in takaways with four (three

interceptions and one fumble recovery). He has eight passes defensed and now has

38 for his career, tied for eighth in Clemson history.

In his September listing of top senior NFL Draft prospects, Mel Kiper ranked

Hill 14th overall, third among defensive backs. Hill made a seven-place jump in

Kiper's rankings since the season began. Kiper ranks Southern Cal quarterback

Matt Leinart first in his rankings of draft eligible players, followed by Ohio

State linebacker A.J. Hawk. The only defensive backs ranked ahead of Hill are

Virginia Tech cornerback Jimmy Williams and Tennessee defensive back Jason

Allen.

Hill had a career high 11 tackles at Wake Forest, including three tackles for

loss. That was a Clemson single game record for tackles for loss by a defensive

back. He followed that up with an impressive game at NC State in front of a

press box that had 15 NFL scouts. He had five tackles and a 24-yard interception

return in that contest.

Hill was part of a Clemson secondary that held Georgia Tech star receiver

Calvin Johnson to four receptions for 46 yards, his low reception yardage total

of the season. He had just 25 receiving yards when Hill was on the field. Most

importantly, Johnson did not score a touchdown and the Yellow Jacket offense

scored just 10 points for the entire game.

Mel Kiper's Top Senior Prospects

(September 2005)

Rk Name Pos School
1. Matt Leinart QB Southern Cal
2. A.J. H
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