FSU forecast: A ray of light in a night game

Among the things I learned this week:

• While the defensive backs and ends certainly haven’t appeared up to their standard, this is statistically the worst Florida State defense we’ve seen in the Bobby Bowden era.
• Apparently the easiest way for your kids to get chicken pox is to have the vaccination shot that supposedly is to prevent your kids getting the chicken pox.
• The future of pro basketball is in peril when a first-round pick in the NBA’s developmental league was used Thursday night on former Clemson center Raymond Sykes (enjoy Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Mr. Sykes!)
• Junior safety DeAndre McDaniel is not up for recognition as the nation’s top defensive back … because he wasn’t on the preseason watch list. Furthermore, it’s a wonder McDaniel even made it to prep school considering some of the influences he could have fallen pray to, which I tried to paint the big picture with here without crossing the line into airing one family’s dirty laundry.
• One bit that didn’t make the McDaniel story – his grandmother, who lives in rural Havana, Fla., and isn’t exactly awash with cash, had to get a loan from her employer in order to pay for McDaniel to go to Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy. It appears the sacrifice of “Miss Dot,” as she’s known, to keep her grandson off the streets is on track to pay off.
• Desperate times call for desperate measures. And FSU announcing defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews’ forthcoming retirement certainly appears a desperate attempt at summoning a rallying cry. Don’t get me wrong, Andrews deserves a fitting send-off. But the timing of the announcement is curious, at least in my opinion.
• Really, really regret missing the ESPN documentary that aired this week about Len Bias’ death. Dabo Swinney recalled earlier this week coming out of a specific class and hearing that Bear Bryant had died. Having grown up in ACC hoops land, Bias’  death is one of two sports events where I remember where I was when the news broke(former Charlotte Hornets/current New Orleans broadcaster Gerry Vaillancourt broke the news to a bunch of us 10-year-old basketball campers at my future high school). The other event — the news Magic Johnson had HIV.  
• Validation, perhaps, for my belief that ACC football is as entertaining as it’s been for awhile: According to ACC blogger Heather Dinich, the league’s 11.61 margin of victory in conference games this year is the smallest conference margin of victory in the nation. In all, 16 of the ACC ’s 28 league games have been decided by seven or fewer points.

Which leads me to Saturday’s game …

Is there any reason to believe this one will end any differently?

FSU is throwing the ball on anyone and everyone right now, especially in the second half when OC Jimbo Fisher quits being cute and the ‘Noles feel the sense of urgency to keep up with their sieve of a defense (look no further than what FSU did to Clemson in last year’s second half).

On the flip side, the Tigers have shown a pretty good handle for what Andrews is gonna do the last few years, during which Clemson has won four of the last six in the series.

I think FSU has its sharpest performance in terms of correcting its recurring bout with blown defensive assignments. But its lack of comparable talent at various positions ultimately will allow Clemson to top 30 anyhow.

The Tigers still have not scored a touchdown the last 12 fourth quarters, and against this Florida school they aren’t granted a reprieve in overtime.

All dubious things must come to an end, too.

For so long, Clemson has choked when it starts thinking about its golden opportunity to vie for the ACC title.

Could still happen. Just won’t this game.

PREDICTION: CLEMSON 33, FSU 27