Since Clemson's current head coach Dabo Swinney arrived on campus in 2003 as an assistant, the Tigers have won 14 of the last 21 games in this series.
10 Seminoles in a "clash of styles" marked by FSU's highly touted skill talent and passing attack, versus Clemson's well regarded option, linemen and linebackers, that was ultimately decided by Leroy Butler's 78-yard "puntrooskie" run, costing Clemson the victory and dashing their national title hopes.
[3] Clemson avenged the loss in 1989, dominating the trenches, with a 34–23 victory in Tallahassee, marked by a 73-yard scoring run by Terry Allen and a 73-yard interception return by Wayne Simmons.
Unfortunately for alumni, sports writers, and football fans, the 1988 and 1989 series would be but a brief glimpse of a potential rivalry between two growing, nationally recognized programs, with divergent styles, that would not begin to be realized again for over another decade.
The first meeting in 1999 was the largest crowd ever to watch a game at Memorial Stadium at Clemson University with an attendance of 86,200 which Florida State won 17–14 on their way to a perfect, wire-to-wire national championship.
Tommy Bowden's first win came in 2003 on his father's birthday, defeating then third-ranked FSU, damaging their prospects for a national championship.
The rivalry lives on past the departure of Tommy Bowden, who was replaced mid-season by his wide receivers coach, Dabo Swinney, in 2008.
Both teams in 2012 were ranked in the Top 10 for the first time since 2000, where an early 14-point Clemson lead thanks to trick plays ended, in a game that was also decided in the 4th quarter with FSU winning 49–37.
[10] In a primetime marquee top 5 matchup in 2013, after 4 Clemson turnovers in the first half, including a fumble returned by Mario Edwards, FSU pulled away and went on to win decisively 51–14 in Death Valley, scoring the most points ever by an opponent, while also notching their first victory in Death Valley since 2001.
1 Florida State to 13 yards rushing in regulation, but came up short with critical red zone errors in a 23–17 overtime loss.
[14] In 2015 in yet another marquee matchup, after giving up a 75-yard touchdown to Dalvin Cook on the game's second snap, Clemson's defense showed toughness, allowing just two field goals the rest of the way thanks in part to two FSU turnovers, as the Tigers stopped Cook on third and fourth down runs in the fourth quarter with the Seminoles a yard from a first down.
Clemson's Heisman finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson threw a go-ahead TD to Deon Cain, and Wayne Gallman came through with a game-sealing scoring as No.
FSU came within field goal range to tie the game, but two sacks by the Clemson defense on quarterback Deondre Francois sealed the victory for the Tigers.
However, Deondre Francois suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury, which derailed the Seminoles' entire program.
This chain of events would eventually lead to FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher moving on to take the vacant position at Texas A&M.
Clemson entered the contest undefeated riding the play of freshman quarterback sensation Trevor Lawrence.
Clemson would also be the first team in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win 5 straight ACC Championship Games whereas Florida State would end up firing Willie Taggart and finishing with their second consecutive losing season.