FSU football: ESPN FPI favors Noles to beat the Clemson Tigers?

FSU football came into the 2023 season with two pivotal contests in the month of September between LSU and Clemson.

The Seminoles made an easy job of the LSU Tigers on Sunday night by a score of 45-24, including a 31-7 scoring run to end the contest in emphatic fashion.
Head football coach Dabo Swinney and his No. 9 Clemson squad did not have the same success as they were defeated in embarrassing fashion by a score of 28-7 to the unranked Duke Blue Devils on the road.

For reference, the Seminoles have had the Blue Devils’ number where they have won all nineteen meetings against them (this is not intended to jinx anything). FSU will face off against Duke in the friendly confines of Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, October 21st, for homecoming.
Clearly, the Blue Devils should not be taken lightly, with quarterback Riley Leonard leading the offense. However, what does that say about Clemson?

The Tigers have been the cream of the crop in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning seven of the last eight conference championships. Plus, FSU has not beaten them since 2014.
As a wise man once said, “To be the champ, you have to beat the champ.” That remains to be true, as the Seminoles cannot celebrate the victory against LSU for too long. They have to get back to work and focus on the task at hand: Getting better each and every day.

With Florida State playing Clemson in Death Valley on Saturday, September 23rd, it will be a difficult battle given that the Tigers have won 40 of their last 41 games at home.
Surprisingly enough, the perception of Florida State’s football program is through the roof, given the massive performance against LSU.

The perception of the Clemson football program is on the other end of the spectrum.

ESPN has updated their Football Power Index for the FSU-Clemson contest, and they give the Seminoles a 59.7% chance to win.