Second-ranked Clemson received a wake-up call in Chapel Hill two weeks ago when North Carolina took the game to the wire and the Tigers narrowly escaped Chapel Hill with a win.
The Tigers seemed fully awake on Saturday as they blasted Florida State 45-14 to remain unbeaten. The offense played with a renewed rhythm and the defense held standout Seminole tailback Cam Akers to a measly 34 yards on nine carries.
In the mind of linebacker Isaiah Simmons, the wake-up call in Chapel Hill came at the right time.
“It wasn’t even just the younger guys, everybody had a completely different focus,” Simmons said following Saturday’s win over the Seminoles.