Clemson notes: Florida State-Clemson gametime announced, Morris responds to Spurrier

CLEMSON - The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday that the Sept. 22 Clemson at Florida State game will kick off at 8 p.m. and be nationally televised on ABC.

The game could be a top-10 showdown as Clemson is ranked 11th and Florida State is ranked 5th in the latest Associated Press poll.

The game has implications for the Atlantic Division title as Florida State and Clemson are viewed as the favorites in the division.

Steve said, Chad said: Clemson offensive coordinator Morris was asked about South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier’s comments about Clemson coaches likely being impressed with South Carolina’s up-tempo approach resulting in 50 plays in the first half against East Carolina on Saturday.

“We went 55,” Morris said.

Clemson’s first-team offense has produced 142 plays in six quarters of play this season.

Put me in coach: After another impressive showing by the Clemson offense against Ball State, Morris is wondering if he has enough footballs for his skill players. Sammy Watkins is set to return from his two-game suspension against Furman at 3 p.m. Saturday.

“I told Watkins after the game I don’t know if you can start for us right now,” Morris said, who was kidding. “I think Sammy has done a great job of helping those younger guys out. He was coming up to me during the course of the game telling me things he was seeing, those are things you really like to see.”

Young OL shows promise: True freshman tackles Isaiah Battle and Joe Gore graded out well after getting to play nearly the entire second half against Ball State. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound Battle and the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Gore bring rare size and athleticism to the position.

“They are going to be really good players,” Morris said. “You saw promise. But they are not there now.”

Morris said Kalon Davis and Ryan Norton also graded out well.

Morris anticipates both left guard David Beasley and right tackle Gifford Timothy will be able play against Furman

Extra points:

Porter-Gaud grad Stanton Seckinger played in his first game in Memorial Stadium on Saturday and noted it was a much different experience than his high school days when there were typically fewer than 1,000 fans in attendance at games … Ryan Norton said he earned extended snaps this summer at center because Freeman was dealing with an “illness.” …. James Island native Matt Porter, a sophomore walk-on at Clemson, caught a 19-yard pass against Ball State on Saturday, the first of his career.