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A year after beating Georgia Tech 73-7 on the road, No.6 Clemson needed a position on the goal line to escape with a 14-8 victory over the Yellow Jackets at home on Saturday. The narrow, weather-delayed victory in the region highlighted both the brilliance of Clemson’s defense, which has yet to allow a touchdown in three games, and the incompetence of his attack, which failed to reach 300 yards in total.
A prime example of Clemson’s offensive shortcomings came in the dying seconds when, in the shadow of his own goal posts, first-year half-back Will Shipley was pulled over for a safety as he scuttled the ball into his own. end zone. The Tigers were forced to return the ball to Georgia Tech with seven seconds left, giving the Yellow Jackets one last chance to pull out what would have been a stunning surprise.
The desperate effort failed, but the surprisingly close game revealed the gulf between where Clemson is… and where he hopes to be at the end of the season. The main concern is an offense that played uninspired football against the very opponent he set on fire last season. Second-year quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 18 of 25 passes for just 126 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, while the Tigers struggled to generate momentum in the running game.
Had it not been for the delay at the goal line, Clemson could have faced extra time. His defense has been stellar and has clearly played the most important role in advancing the Tigers to 2-1 this season.
Shipley scored the only two touchdowns of the ground game, scoring Clemson’s first touchdowns against an FBS opponent this season, but the Yellow Jackets bottled the talented freshman for much of the afternoon. However, Clemson’s defense looks so good that she might be able to squeeze the Tigers through a weak ACC while the offense gets the ball rolling.
Here’s what we learned from Saturday’s close call …
James Skalski’s stand
Clemson was leading 14-3 after Shipley scored with 8:12 left in the game. It looked like the Tigers had finally created the separation needed to enjoy a drama-free finish. But with the Tigers sitting in a conservative defense, the Yellow Jackets managed to force their way onto the field for a basket with 1:19 to go. Georgia Tech recovered an offensive kick and, with the help of a passer’s penalty, made its way to the red zone in the last minute. The Yellow Jackets scored a first goal from the 3-yard line but never found the end zone as Clemson’s defense stiffened in the clutch. The Tigers’ ultimate hero from the stand was sixth-year senior linebacker James Skalski, who stayed home on a fourth shovel pass.
Offensive woes
The Tigers racked up 671 total yards in their rout from Georgia Tech last season, including 500 in the air with a passing attack led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receiver Amari Rodgers. With the two now playing in the NFL, it’s clear that Clemson is still on the hunt for an aerial identity. Junior wide receiver Justyn Ross is back from injury and surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards on Saturday as he caught seven passes for 61 yards. He and fellow junior Joseph Ngata are a talented duo on the road, but the Tigers are struggling to generate explosive plays. Their longest scrum game was just 17 yards on a pass to running back Kobe Pace. Clemson didn’t clear a sack on Saturday so it’s hard to pin the struggles on the offensive line. But it’s clear the Tigers need to turn the tide in the passing game.
Defensive domination
Despite all the pessimism surrounding Clemson’s offense, there is a lot to like about defense. The unit is playing as a group to prove a point after allowing 49 points to Ohio State in the college football playoff semi-final loss last season. In three games, the Tigers are allowing just 267 yards per game. That mark is significantly better than the ACC’s best 326.8 yards per game he gave up last season. The Tigers were particularly stingy against the run on Saturday, allowing the Yellow Jackets just 2.7 yards per carry.
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