Struggles on full display
Good, bad and ugly of frustrating season is evident.
CLEMSON, S.C. — As much as this was a football game, it might as well have been a Rorschach test. Instead of black-and-white ink blots, these images were painted garnet and gold.
If you had rounded up 10 different Florida State fans Saturday night and asked them their biggest takeaways from FSU’s 31-14 loss to Clemson, you probably would’ve heard 10 different viewpoints.
One might have raved about the Seminoles’ fighting spirit in the second half, praising the way they made a game of it after trailing 17-0 at halftime. Another would’ve ranted about the continuing struggles of true freshman quarterback James Blackman and the fact that this team is now 3-6 on the season.
You would have heard complaints about the offense gaining 46 yards in the first half, and you’d have heard compliments about the defense finally creating some big plays — forcing three fumbles, recovering two and recording nine tackles for loss.
Some would have said this was a game the Seminoles should have won. Others would have argued they were lucky to be in it at all.
Even though we all watched the same game — in person or on television — most of us saw it differently. And for good reason.
Like every other FSU game this season, this one was filled with the good, the bad, the ugly and the bizarre. Every position group had positives and negatives. Practically every player had good moments and bad.
They’re talented enough to look good at times, but sloppy enough to look bad at times.
It’s the difference in recording 10 or 11 wins or being one of the ACC’s cellar dwellers. It’s the difference between beating the Miamis and Clemsons like they used to, and on Saturday finishing conference play with only three victories in eight tries.
It should not be overlooked that FSU’s three ACC wins came against two of the weaker teams in the Atlantic Division (Syracuse and Wake Forest) and the second-to-worst team in the Coastal (Duke).
Against teams with .500 conference records or worse, the Seminoles went 3-2. Against teams with winning records, they went 0-3.
It doesn’t mean they didn’t try. What it does mean is they’re not very good ... at least not for an entire 60 minutes. It’s been the same story all season.
In early September, they were good enough to compete with Alabama for most of three quarters before self-destructing down the stretch.
In early October, they were good enough to lead rival Miami with just over a minute remaining before their defense collapsed on the Hurricanes’ final drive.
In early November, they were good enough to rally from a 17-0 deficit on the road against defending national champion Clemson before wilting in the final minutes.
That’s three disappointing losses against quality competition in three consecutive months.