Stanford football continues their second season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, facing Florida State University for the first time in program history. Ahead of the game, the team has been focusing on “doing the little things right,” according to graduate student defensive lineman Clay Patterson. 

Rolling into the match on Saturday at Stanford Stadium, both the Cardinal (2-4, 1-2 ACC) and the Seminoles (3-3, 0-3 ACC) have something to prove. Fresh off a tough loss against SMU, Stanford’s current two-game winning streak at home lays in the balance. On the other side of the field, Florida State is looking to snap a three-game losing streak after their loss at home against Pitt. 

Following a disappointing loss at the Mustangs last Saturday, Patterson said the team is improving “all across the board” to “execute better moving forward” and dominate against FSU’s offensive strategy, which has topped the ACC in total yards and points so far this season.

Hoping to lead the team to another win at home, Patterson reflected on the importance of focusing on the details in practice and working as one cohesive unit.

“It starts with our rush lanes and recognizing that fact that he is looking to get out, scramble, and gain those yards with his legs,” Patterson said about facing a duel-threat quarterback like FSU’s Tommy Castellanos. Aiming to minimize those yards, the defensive line is focused on “rushing together, knowing what [Castellanos] is looking to do.” 

In the Seminole’s game against Pitt, a fourth-quarter fumble at midfield halted the team’s momentum. The Cardinal has placed a “big emphasis” on generating negative plays and hopes to take advantage of FSU’s weakness in their matchup.

At Tuesday’s practice, Stanford’s defensive line “came out, had four turnovers and had a D-line pick six,” demonstrating their propensity for setting that goal and “going out, and achieving it,” said Patterson.

“It all starts with winning on the first down,” Patterson said of countering a high-tempo team like the Seminoles. Much of their meetings this week emphasized the goal of not only forcing a three-and-out in the first period, but also “having that confidence” in every drive. 

Beyond the playbook, Patterson said the most defining characteristic of Stanford’s defense is “playing with love for one another.” The team faces tough competition in the ACC, and hopes to continue their win streak at Stanford Stadium. To the fans, Patterson encouraged them to “come out, be loud, make some noise and give us a home field advantage.”