The word "opportunity" was used perhaps more than any other on the Florida State practice fields this past week.

That comes with the territory when you're facing an opponent that is the defending national champion. One that handed you a 49-point defeat at home one year ago.

Indeed, after what transpired in that blowout loss to Clemson last October, practically every segment on the FSU football team sees today's game (3:30 p.m., ABC) as a chance for redemption. An opportunity to prove how far they have come in the last 12 months.

"We talked to our guys on Sunday morning, went back to last year's game ... on why the game turned out the way that it did," head coach Willie Taggart said. "We didn't play winning football. Those things that we've stressed about this season -- and what it's going to take -- we didn't do that last year."

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While every segment on the Florida State squad recognizes it will need to perform at a much higher level to have a chance for success against the No. 2 Tigers, no group understands it better than the Seminoles' secondary.

FSU's defensive backs were absolutely torched by Clemson -- and then-freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence -- in last year's game. They surrendered over 400 passing yards and five touchdowns through the air.

And while the Tigers have had to reload at several positions from one year ago, all of the guys who made the biggest plays through the air against FSU will be in the lineup again today.

"It's understood throughout the locker room," junior defensive back Stanford Samuels III said this week, when asked if FSU's defensive backs were challenged by their coaches this week. "We know it's a great opportunity. It's a great opportunity for our football team, a great opportunity for us."

The good news for FSU's secondary is that it has been playing better as of late. The Seminoles still rank near the bottom of the national standings (No. 121 out of 130) in passing yards allowed per game (302.2), but they were much sharper the last time out against N.C. State.

The Wolfpack finished with 282 yards through the air, but it took them 52 pass attempts to get there. FSU was credited with a season-high eight pass breakups in the game.

Defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett said he has seen renewed confidence from his DBs in the last few weeks, and several of his players have noticed it as well.