Clemson has had a rough start to the 2025 season. Much of the love the Tigers received in the offseason has begun to turn sour. It’s easy to see why, though, after a loss at home to LSU and an abysmal performance in the first half against Troy. This has caused Clemson to fall from being ranked fourth to start the season to being ranked 12th in the latest AP poll. Cade Klubnik’s shaky performances have caused him to fall from a top-three favorite to win the Heisman to out of the top 15.
The Tigers have a chance to get the momentum back on their side as they enter conference play, though. This weekend will be their first ACC matchup against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have a great squad and won’t make it easy. A road win against a tough conference opponent is what Clemson needs to prove it still belongs in national championship contender conversations.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Matchup History
This will be the 89th meeting between Georgia Tech and Clemson. These two programs have a longstanding rivalry. The first time they met was in 1898. The Tigers won that first game 23-0.
Overall, the Yellow Jackets lead the series 50-36. There have also been two draws between these programs. Clemson has won the last nine matchups, starting with the 2015 game, which the Tigers won 43-24. The last meeting between these two teams was in the 2023 season when Clemson won at home 42-21.
This year’s game takes place at Georgia Tech. The last time these two teams faced each other in Atlanta was in 2012, and Clemson won 41-10. This game will have increased stakes, though.
The Stakes
This game will help to shape the early ACC standings, which determine who makes the conference championship at the end of the season. It will also have a huge effect on the betting odds for the conference championship. As it currently stands, Clemson is still the favorite to win the ACC. Georgia Tech has the sixth-best chance to win the conference, according to odds makers. Many who cover ACC football have the Yellow Jackets as the dark horse to win the conference.
This is the first week any ACC teams will play official conference games. There will be three conference games taking place this weekend, and this one is the biggest. Of the three conference games, this is the only one with two of the top six favorites to win the ACC. The Tigers need to win this game to start out conference play at the top of the ACC and prove they still deserve to be the favorites to win it again.
Georgia Tech’s Explosive Offense
In order to win this game, the Clemson defense needs to put on its best performance of the season thus far. The Georgia Tech offense is explosive, especially in the run game.
The Yellow Jackets have two very talented running backs in Jamal Haynes and Malachi Hosely. Both backs rushed for over 90 yards and two touchdowns last week against Gardner-Webb. Hosely had 100 yards in the game, and both ball carriers only rushed the ball nine times. The Jackets also have two quarterbacks who can play the position very well, but in different ways. Haynes King is normally the starting quarterback, and he is tough to stop. He is at his best when he gets going with his legs. King did not play last week against Gardner-Webb due to a nagging lower-body injury. In week one, though, he rushed the ball 19 times for 156 yards and three touchdowns against Colorado.
The backup quarterback for Georgia Tech is Aaron Philo. The sophomore quarterback is much more deadly with his arm, throwing for 373 yards and a touchdown in his start last week. Offensively, the Yellow Jackets are hard to stop because of the different styles of athletes they have and how they use them. Everything they do, though, starts with being able to run the ball.
Clemson’s Keys to Victory
The key to Clemson defeating Georgia Tech on Saturday starts with the defense stopping the run. The Yellow Jackets love to run the ball. Their head coach, Brent Key, is not subtle about it either. He wants the identity of his team to be defined by their toughness. That tough, hard-nosed identity starts to form with the ability to run the ball. In week one against Colorado, Georgia Tech ran the ball for 320 yards. Week two, the Yellow Jackets ran the ball on Gardner-Webb for another 223 yards. Bottling up Haynes, King, and Hosely will be step one to winning in Atlanta.
The defense can also dictate this game by forcing Georgia Tech to turn the ball over. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen challenges the defense to get at least three takeaways per game. The Yellow Jackets’ offense has turned the ball over five times already in the first two weeks. There were three turnovers in week one and two more in week two. When the opportunities present themselves, the Tigers’ defense must take advantage and get the ball back for the offense.
Offensively, the Tigers need to continue leaning on the run to open the explosives down the field. Adam Randall carried the ball 16 times for 97 yards in the second half against Troy. Let Randall continue his momentum and force Georgia Tech to bring more guys in the box.
Also, get more creative in getting Klubnik involved in the run game. His legs need to be a threat to opposing defenses. It’ll get him comfortable in the game much earlier as well. That comfort will help him deliver in the passing game the way he did in the second half last week. That will get the Tigers the win and prove they are still of championship caliber.
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