Sports & Culture Media

Clemson vs Georgia Tech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIkAR8ZwWPg

During this week three matchup, it was another long, defensive game. The score was 7-3 before the half nearly ended; because of the weather, the game was delayed two hours, which may have given each team the rest they needed. The Tigers have a great defensive front that allows them to stay in the game with their opponents. Regarding their defense, James Skalski is to thank for the defensive stop on fourth down and goal on the 2-yard line to keep Clemson’s 14-6 lead. After the turnover on downs, the following play ended up being a safety that cut into the lead, making it 14-8. With the amount of time left, seven seconds, the only option for Georgia Tech was to kick and grab the onside kick; usually, those chances are slim, but the Yellow Jackets ended up getting the ball back. The game ended with an illegal forward pass that Clemson’s Bryan Bresee intercepted. 

Clemson has always been known for offensive, explosive plays. However, there have not been that many explosive plays that the fans are used to seeing this season. During this game, DJ Uiagalelei threw for 126 yards, being 18-25 with no touchdowns. Clemson’s only scoring came from running back Will Shipley, who had two touchdowns on 21 carries for 88 yards.

Although Clemson was able to market their 30th consecutive win in Death Valley, they have to strengthen their offensive front to give DJ enough time to get the ball to his receivers and make for more yardage gained instead of throwing for two three-yard dump offs. Knowing what they must work on during practice this week, Clemson will prepare to take on North Carolina State next Saturday at 3:30 PM EST. at Carter-Finley Stadium

GAME NOTES via Clemson Athletics

  • Clemson has now held three consecutive offenses without a touchdown for the first time since 1990 (Appalachian State, Duke and Georgia). 
  • Clemson has now not allowed an offensive touchdown in all of the first three games of a season for the first time since 1950, when Clemson shut out Presbyterian, Missouri and NC State in the season’s first three contests.
  • Per data available through Sports Reference, Clemson joined 2007 Iowa, 2008 Iowa and 2012 Florida State as the fourth team since 2000 to open the first three games of a season without allowing an offensive touchdown. 
  • Clemson has now held opponents to 10 or fewer points five times in its last six games, dating to last season. 
  • The game included a lightning delay of one hour and 52 minutes (including an observed halftime in that window), beginning at 5:03 p.m. ET and ending at 6:55 p.m. ET. It was the longest weather delay in Death Valley history.
  • Per Clemson historian and former SID Tim Bourret, the contest was Clemson’s fourth game at Death Valley ever to include a weather delay:

·         Oct. 12, 1963 vs. Georgia: (20-minute halftime delay)

·         Sept. 4, 1993 vs. UNLV: (17-minute fourth-quarter delay)

·         Sept. 19, 2009 vs. Boston College: (55-minute third-quarter delay and a 48-minute fourth-quarter delay).

  • Clemson remains undefeated in games delayed by weather at Death Valley, improving to 3-0-1 in those contests.
  • Clemson’s 14 points were its fewest in a victory since it defeated Auburn by a 14-6 score in 2017.
  • Running back Will Shipley recorded career highs in rushing attempts (21) and rushing yards (88) and tied his career high with two rushing touchdowns.
  • Clemson opened the scoring on a three-yard touchdown run by Shipley.
  • With the touchdown, Shipley became the first Clemson true freshman with a rushing touchdown in back-to-back games since Lyn-J Dixon against Wake Forest and NC State in 2018.
  • Shipley added his second rushing touchdown on a three-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
  • In doing so, Shipley became the first Clemson player to rush for multiple touchdowns in multiple games as a true freshman since Travis Etienne (three) in 2017. He joined Etienne (three in 2017) and Deshaun Watson (two in 2014) as the only true freshmen to accomplish the feat in the Dabo Swinney era.
  • Shipley became the first Clemson true freshman with multiple rushing touchdowns in consecutive games since Etienne accomplished the feat against Florida State and The Citadel in 2017.
  • On a 13-yard fourth-quarter reception, wide receiver Justyn Ross (2,004) became the 16th player in school history to reach 2,000 career receiving yards.
  • Ross extended his streak of consecutive games with a catch to 30.
  • Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 18-of-25 passes for 126 yards.
  • Uiagalelei also recorded a career-high 46 rushing yards on eight carries.
  • Clemson allowed zero sacks and has now held consecutive opponents without a sack for the first time since the 2018 season finale against Alabama and 2019 season opener against Georgia Tech.
  • Defensively, Clemson recorded a season-high four sacks.
  • Clemson’s four sacks were its most since posting six against Notre Dame in the 2020 ACC Championship Game.
  • Defensive tackle Bryan Bresee recorded a career-high 1.5 sacks.
  • Linebacker LaVonta Bentley added his first sack of the season.
  • Defensive end K.J. Henry, linebacker Trenton Simpson and defensive end Xavier Thomas each added a half-sack, their first of the season.
  • Punter Will Spiers started his 59th game to add to his school record for career starts broken last week. Wide receiver/holder Will Swinney’s career total as Clemson’s primary holder also parallels Spiers’ run as starting punter.
  • SpiersSwinney and linebacker James Skalski each played in their 59th career games to tie the school record for most career games played shared by tight end Cannon Smith (2015-18), defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (2015-18), safety Tanner Muse (2016-19) and safety K’Von Wallace (2016-19).
  • Clemson played its first conference game of the season against the Yellow Jackets for the fourth time in a six-year span (2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021). Clemson is now 43-25-1 all-time in ACC season debuts, including a 11-2 mark against Georgia Tech in those games.
  • Captains for the contest were tight end Braden Galloway, offensive tackle Jordan McFadden, punter Will Spiers and safety Nolan Turner.

Alise Robinson