Pete TamalESPN2 minute reading
No. 4 Florida State lost two key starters at Clemson on Saturday, as left tackle Robert Scott Jr. and safety Akeem Dent will both miss the game with injuries, a source told ESPN.
FSU gets a key player back on its offensive line, as center Maurice Smith will start, a source said. Smith missed games against Southern Mississippi and Boston College with a lower-body injury.
Florida State has lost seven straight to Clemson and will try to snap that streak Saturday without two key starters.
Scott is in his fourth season as FSU’s starter, earning second-team All-ACC honors last year as a left tackle. He is expected to be replaced again by Plus Harris, who is expected to make his fourth career start for FSU.
Dent is a star safety who has missed 32 career games. He missed last week’s game at Boston College, in which FSU gave up 305 passing yards to BC’s Thomas Castellanos. Dent injured his left leg in Week 2 against Southern Miss.
Smith is expected to make his 31st career start for FSU, the most by anyone under center. He earned honorable mention All-ACC in 2022 and was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice. He hasn’t played since the opening win against LSU.
FSU’s offensive line is one of the most experienced in the nation, as it returns starters with more than 200 combined starts. A win over Boston College without both Scott and Smith helped FSU (3-0) withstand early injury problems without Dent in the secondary.
Clemson (2-1) hasn’t lost a home game in ACC play since 2016, when it lost 43-42 to Pitt before winning the national title. Clemson’s home loss to South Carolina last year snapped a 40-game hitting streak.
