FSU-Clemson: Noles’ Backup Quarterbacks Have Found Success Against Tigers
FSU has found recent success against the Clemson Tigers with backup quarterbacks, and the Seminoles might be forced to use one again this weekend.
No starter, no problem. FSU has had recent success with backup quarterbacks against Clemson.
This Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, the nation will be treated to another edition of the Florida State-Clemson rivalry.
And as Coach Jimbo Fisher pointed out in his Monday press conference, if Golson were to miss the game, it would mark the fourth time in six years that FSU would start a backup quarterback against Clemson.
Here are the last three times that happened:
2014: No. 1 FSU 23, No. 22 Clemson 17
As mentioned before, Maguire started in place of Jameis Winston last season while Winston served a one-game suspension. Before that start, Maguire had only attempted 26 passes in his career.
He delivered the game of his life in Doak Campbell Stadium. Maguire completed 21-of-39 passes for 304 yards and a touchdown. He did throw 2 interceptions, but they didn’t prove too costly.
With 6:04 left, Maguire connected with Rashad Greene for a 74-yard touchdown to tie the game at 17. The game went into overtime and was capped off by running back Karlos Williams, who sealed the win for FSU with a 12-yard touchdown run.
2011: No. 11 FSU 30, No. 21 Clemson 35
Back in 2011, FSU lost starting quarterback E.J. Manuel to an injury against the Oklahoma Sooners the week before playing Clemson.
That elevated then freshman Clint Trickett into the starting job against the Tigers. Trickett surprised and threw 3 touchdowns with an interception against Clemson. He completed 24-of-38 passes for 336 yards, but that simply wasn’t enough to get past Dabo Swinney’s crew.
A 62-yard touchdown pass from Tajh Boyd to Sammy Watkins put the Tigers up 35 to 23 with just more than 13 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Trickett hooked up with wide receiver Kenny Shaw for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:21 left, but the Seminoles didn’t score again for the rest of the game.
2010: FSU 13, Clemson 10
A year before he was forced to watch Trickett fill in for him against Clemson, Manuel was the one getting the promotion from backup to starter for the Seminoles’ game against the Tigers.
It was Christian Ponder who was forced to miss the game with an injury, allowing Manuel, who had only thrown 23 passes in three games that season, to step into the starting role.
Manuel completed 15-of-24 passes for 210 yards and an interception. He did run for an 8-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, though, which put FSU up 13-10 with 10:08 left in the game. Chandler Catanzaro hit a field goal with 58 seconds left to tie the game. The hero for FSU was kicker Dustin Hopkins, who chose to hit a 55-yard field goal as time expired for his third make of the game.
Golson still hasn’t been ruled out, though, and Fisher did say he’s made progress.
Florida State will take the field against Clemson on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
