JD PicKell: Early Florida State vs. Clemson game will have serious College Football Playoff implications

Florida State and Clemson enter 2023 as two preseason favorites in the ACC, and fans won’t have to wait long to watch them face off. The Seminoles and Tigers are scheduled to play by Week 4 on Sept. 23 in a matchup that could determine much more than just who finished atop the conference at the end of the year.

On3’s JD PicKell also believes the game will have implications for the College Football Playoff. On the Florida State side, he discussed how the results of a Week 1 contest against LSU could determine whether or not this is a must-win game for the Seminoles.

“Let’s say that Florida State ends up dropping to LSU,” PicKell explained. “Close game, back-and-forth, (but) Jayden Daniels and company, they end up getting it done. So Florida State rolls into Death Valley to play Clemson Week 4 with one loss and their back is up against the wall now.

“For Florida State, this would be the last ACC hurdle, foreseeably at least. If they want to play for the College Football Playoff, they can get in there with one loss. You lose two games? Chances are few and far between. No two-loss team’s ever made the dance. So for Florida State, this is big for their ACC hopes but for their College Football Playoff hopes it’s a very, very big deal. In terms of them being able to play for the ACC title, if they were to beat LSU and they were to drop this game, yes they’re still in the hunt but you don’t want to pass your destiny off to somebody else’s hands.”

Florida State is coming off of its their first 10-win season since 2016 this past season and returns starting quarterback Jordan Travis as well as leading receiver Johnny Wilson and leading rusher Trey Benson. That as many high on the potential of the Seminoles this season, and as PicKell mentioned, they’ll face a couple of huge tests right out of the gate.

Clemson, on the other hand, is ready to roll with Cade Klubnik at quarterback after last year’s starter DJ Uiagalelei transferred. The Tigers made six consecutive College Football Playoff appearances under Dabo Swinney from 2015-20 and won two national championships but have missed each of the past two seasons.

With some tough games on its schedule outside of Florida State as well, PicKell laid out why this game is equally important for Clemson’s hopes of returning to the CFP.

“For Clemson, this would put them on the ropes should they lose this game because they still have to play Notre Dame (and) North Carolina,” he said. “They go to South Carolina, which they lost to South Carolina at home a season ago. The schedule is brutal. The gauntlet is the epitome of brutal for both of these teams. You’re gonna figure out exactly what the rest of your slate looks like.

“But for Florida State, if they don’t take care of business in Week 1 and they lose Week 4, that could be all she wrote. The hype train is off the tracks and the conversation about Florida State making the College Football Playoff dies down substantially. This is a Playoff game, I promise you. This is going to determine exactly the course for them when it comes to making that Final Four.”

Even with the success it had last season, Florida State failed to beat Clemson, losing 34-28 in Tallahassee. That loss marked the seventh straight for the Seminoles against the Tigers, with the last win coming in 2014.

But with all the talent returning, this feels like a year that FSU could break the streak. If it does, it could lead to even bigger things later down the road.