Sloane Thompson
The Clemson football team fell to Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium to move to 1-2 on the season.
The No. 12 Clemson Tigers were stunned on Saturday afternoon after they lost to unranked Georgia Tech. As time expired, the Yellow Jackets used a 55-yard game-winning field goal to take down the Tigers 24-21.
Clemson is now 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC, falling out of the AP Top 25.
The loss to the Yellow Jackets was not only from one bad play, but also a series of missed opportunities that defined the afternoon.
Clemson’s start foreshadowed trouble, with a Cade Klubnik fumble on the opening drive and a missed field goal that Georgia Tech quickly turned into a 10-0 lead, energizing the home crowd.
Trailing by two possessions in the early moments of the second quarter, anxiety grew on the sidelines. The offense stalled for a quick three-and-out, and Georgia Tech continued to play complementary football. The Yellow Jackets put more points on the board with another made field goal to take a commanding 13-0 lead over Clemson.
The Tigers were officially on upset alert with the first half nearing an end.
Clemson responded with a 16-play, 75-yard drive to end the half trailing 13-7. They opened the second half strong, marching down the field into the red zone. Despite a well-designed drive, Klubnik’s red zone interception killed a chance to take their first lead of the afternoon.
Another missed opportunity for the ACC powerhouse.
Clemson would eventually bounce back and take their first lead, thanks to an impressive 73-yard touchdown catch from Bryant Wesco Jr., where the wide receiver displayed his electrifying speed.
The Tigers regained control of the game and were finally starting to look like the team fans expected to see during the offseason. This drive was followed by stout defense from both teams, with Clemson even forcing a fourth-down stop on their own 41-yard line.
However, Clemson again was not able to take advantage of the momentum on their end. For the third time in the game, Georgia Tech forced another three-and-out. The Yellow Jackets would capitalize and drive down the field to retake the lead. Being up 19-14, the opponent decided to go for the two-point conversion to take a seven-point lead, and converted.
Clemson’s offense went back onto the field and executed a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took roughly six minutes off the game clock. Clemson evened the game at 21-21, leaving about three minutes for Georgia Tech to work with on a potential game-winning drive.
The Tigers were in another high-pressure situation.
Georgia Tech was able to respond ultimately, driving into field goal range with ease. The Yellow Jackets set themselves up for a 55-yard game-winning field goal and put the dagger into the hearts of the Clemson fanbase, to end the Tigers’ nine-game winning streak over Georgia Tech.
Clemson crumbled in yet another prove-it game. Expectations were shattered, and heads are shaking amongst Clemson fans.
Sitting at 1-2, Clemson no longer controls its own destiny, a recurring theme.
The Clemson staff and players have been reiterating the idea that they are a couple of plays from meeting the demands of their fan base.
“We need to find a way to make a couple more good plays,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game.
“We’re so close, that’s the hardest part,” Klubnik said. “We’re right there and just a few plays away. We need to keep persevering.”
“Y’all have seen it, every game has been close,” Wesco added. “We’re just one or two plays away.”
The philosophy in the locker room is that the team is about to break through the gates. This has been the perspective Clemson has maintained since the loss to Georgia in last season’s opener.
Win or lose, Clemson continues to find itself in situations where clutch plays need to be made, and contrary to their belief, the team is clinging to a tired mantra. The Tigers are a couple of plays away from being in the gutter of the ACC.
Since last season’s game against Louisville, Clemson has faced eight Power Four teams. Without a late 50-yard touchdown run to beat Pittsburgh and a 57-yard field goal to edge SMU in the ACC Championship, the Tigers would be 1-7 in those matchups.
This idea that Clemson has tried preaching to the choir does not resonate well and can quickly be debunked. Part of football, and sports in general, is that one play can decide the outcome of a game. Because of this, it’s not reasonable to claim being a team of elite status when executing in the high-leverage moments is difficult.
That’s exactly what separates a good team from a mediocre team, and Clemson is riding the borderline.
The Tigers will look to bounce back against Syracuse this weekend. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for noon.