Mike Norvell’s Noles nearing golden opportunity to take over ACC
Florida State Coach Mike Norvell glances at the crowd during a timeout in the second quarter against LSU Sunday September 3, 2023 at Camping World Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
It’s no mystery that the path to the ACC Title runs through Clemson.
After all, Dabo Swinney has ruled the league with an iron fist, and led the Tigers to a jaw-dropping, eight conference crowns over the past 12 seasons. However, Florida State’s Coach Mike Norvell is ready to snatch the red carpet from under the reigning ACC champs. The No. 4 Seminoles are the highest-ranked team in the conference, but they had a close call on the road in week three.
With the most anticipated ACC game of the season looming, Norvell needs to show the nation that Florida State’s victory over LSU wasn’t a fluke. Not to mention he’s 0-2 against the Tigers as the Seminoles’ coach. Florida State (3-0) hasn’t beat Clemson since 2014, and the fans feel it’s long overdue.
Norvell has a chance to change the narrative with a victory, and give the Seminoles a clear-cut path to the Playoffs. It won’t be an easy task though, considering the Tigers have won 42 of their last 43 games at Death Valley. On top of that Clemson (2-1) is ninth nationally in total defense. So there’s no denying the battle is going to be an opportunity for quarterback Jordan Travis to boost his Heisman campaign.
The game has the early ABC slot, and all eyes will be watching. Swinney has been Florida State’s nemesis though, and he’ll have a good game plan for Travis. The Seminoles will have a slim margin for error on the road in a hostile environment. Florida State was held scoreless in the fourth quarter at Boston College, and the defense surrendered 457 total yards for the game.
Norvell will need his squad to get off to a fast start, and take the crowd out of the game early on. If push comes to shove, Norvell knows how to make adjustments. It’s going to be all about exploiting the Tigers’ weaknesses. Duke exposed a lot of those areas in the season-opening victory over Clemson.
The Tigers’ quarterback Cade Klubnik is starting to heat up, with seven touchdown tosses and one interception over the past two games. Those numbers were against inferior competition in Charleston Southern and Florida Atlantic though. Clemson’s All-ACC running back Will Shipley got into an altercation with assistant coach C.J. Spiller last game. Still, Norvell should be anticipating a heavy dose of Shipley and Phil Mafah.
That’s why Florida State’s defense needs to set the tone in the trenches, and make Klubnik uncomfortable in the pocket. Most importantly, special teams will have to be efficient for Norvell, with no breakdowns. Bottom line, if the Seminoles can capture their first victory at Death Valley since 2013, and extend their win streak to 10 games, expect them to jump back in the top-three, and for Norvell to be the favorite to receive the ACC Coach of the Year honor.
