What to Watch For: FSU vs. Clemson

Aug 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida State Seminoles cornerback Ronald Darby (3) in game action against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Florida State beat Oklahoma State 37-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

5.) FSU’s secondary faces its first real test

You’ve heard about it all off-season, FSU has arguably the nation’s best secondary. This weekend, that’s going to be tested. Clemson’s ground game is still evolving, but the early returns against Georgia were not good. The Tigers mustered just 88 yards on the ground and their offense was rendered fairly one-dimensional because of it.

That’s made even more relevant by the fact that Florida State plays the same scheme as Georgia, where former FSU defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has now installed it. The Tigers didn’t enjoy Pruitt’s defense last year in Death Valley, they didn’t like it this year in Athens and barring some great coaching, they likely aren’t going to enjoy it much in Tallahassee either. Charles Kelly has picked up right where Pruitt left off and — considering FSU has a little more talent than UGA right now — that should mean Florida State will try to make Clemson’s two quarterbacks beat the Seminoles through the air.

That’s where the secondary comes in.

Clemson has playmakers, don’t get that twisted. The Tigers have recruited well and they have a number of players that are capable of breaking a big one should the opportunity present itself. But what has made FSU’s secondary so special over the last year and a half is the fact that those opportunities rarely do present themselves. Ronald Darby and PJ Williams form arguably the best tandem of corners in the country. Nate Andrews is a ball-hawk, Tyler Hunter is the emotional leader and Jalen Ramsey is doing things no player has done at FSU since Deion Sanders. The unit is loaded.

But loaded only matters if you can back it up. This will be one of the first chances that FSU’s secondary has gotten to do just that.