Clemson Upsets No. 17 Florida St. 35-14

Posted 4:44PM on Saturday 12th November 2005 ( 19 years ago )

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Charlie Whitehurst threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns to lead Clemson over No. 17 Florida State 35-14 Saturday, the second time in three meetings that Tigers coach Tommy Bowden has beaten father Bobby. Whitehurst went 21-of-32 a week after resting his sore shoulder and Chansi Stuckey had 11 catches for 156 yards and two TDs for Clemson (5-4, 3-4 Atlantic Coast). The Seminoles (7-3, 5-3) gained just 226 yards as they lost for the second game in a row and the third time in their last five. They have lost three games in the ACC for the first time since joining the league in 1992. Florida State came into Saturday with the ACC's top passing offense at 309 yards a contest, but Clemson's defense rushed the Seminoles freshmen quarterbacks all game, getting six sacks and leaving little time for receivers to get open. Starter Drew Weatherford was 12-of-27 for 117 yards and two interceptions, while Xavier Lee, who entered the game in the fourth quarter, was 1-of-7 for seven yards. The Bowden Bowl started in 1999 as a fun family reunion. Now, both coaches say it's an ordeal that guarantees someone named Bowden is going to leave with fans sniping at him. Once again, it will be Bobby Bowden. And for the second time in the last three meetings, the Seminoles will have lost a game in which they entered as heavy favorites. Two years ago, some fans grumbled that he lost to Clemson to help save his son's job. This year they'll want to know why Florida State has been held under 230 total yards in two straight ACC losses. On the other sideline, Whitehurst showed no ill effects from taking last week off to rest his aching throwing shoulder, completing six of eight passes for 100 yards in Clemson's first two drives as the Tigers took a 14-0 lead. A blocked punt recovered for a touchdown and two field goals helped Florida State tie it at 14 at the half, but the Tigers defense took over in the third quarter. Clemson picked off Weatherford twice in the quarter, leading Bobby Bowden to put Lee in. But Lee couldn't get his team going either, with his receivers dropping at least two sure catches as the clock wound down. Meanwhile, a 32-yard touchdown pass to Stuckey, an 8-yard scoring run by James Davis and a 4-yard TD catch by Aaron Kelly put the game away for the Tigers, who became eligible for a bowl for the seventh straight year. Davis ran for 65 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns for Clemson. Lorenzo Booker ran for 112 yards on 16 carries for Florida State. © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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