Clemson football hit a new low on Saturday night. The Tigers fell 20-6 to a Georgia Tech team that had just fired four assistant coaches earlier in the week. This result marks the worst loss of the season for Dabo Swinney’s squad. The Yellow Jackets, sitting at 3-7, dominated the line of scrimmage while the home team in Clemson, South Carolina, could not move the ball. Georgia Tech rushed for 269 yards and scored two touchdowns on the ground. The Tigers managed only 228 total yards in the entire game. Clemson never previously lost to a squad with a losing record at kickoff during a 38-game streak until this defeat. It was the first time that happened since 2010.
The starting quarterback was injured. Tait Reynolds left the game early with a leg injury after sliding on the third play. He needed help to get off the field and returned with a brace on his left knee. Backup Christopher Vizzina stepped in but struggled immediately. He finished 12-of-27 for 133 yards and threw an interception. Following the game, Vizzina also headed to the hospital due to an injury he sustained. The offense did not establish a rhythm without their starter. Clemson punted seven times and settled for just two field goals. Against Power Four opponents this season, the team has managed just five touchdowns across four home contests. Three of those came in a single win over North Carolina.
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Defensive Breakdown at Home
The defense failed to stop the run, which was the main story of the night. On the ground, Georgia Tech averaged 5.2 yards per rush. Justice Haynes gained 116 yards rushing with a longest gain of 53 yards. Grady Adamson added 87 yards on 19 carries. Dabo Swinney addressed the failure directly after the game. “When you can’t stop the run, you don’t deserve to win,” Swinney said, according to CBS Sports. He admitted the team did not win the line of scrimmage. The Tigers did not record a single sack on the day. They forced six punts and got one interception, but that was not enough to stop the bleeding. The defense was unable to stop the Yellow Jackets’ ground game.
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Stadium Emptying in Fourth Quarter
Fans left the stadium early as the game slipped away. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key noticed the empty seats and liked what he saw. “And to finally look up and see the stadium emptying out (in the fourth quarter), that was good to see,” Key said. He had called the program one of the best in the country recently. “I said it during the week, this has been one of the premier programs in the league and the country for the last 12, 13 or 14 years now,” Key said. The crowd reaction speaks louder than any stat. “It’s frustrating; we’ve not played well (at home) coming off two really good wins,” Swinney said. He noted that the team had a great week of practice but it did not translate to the game. The home record is now 2-9 over the last 11 games against Power Four competition.
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Clemson needs to fix the offense before the season ends. The team is now 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the ACC. They have missed the chance to stay near the top of the conference standings. The offensive coordinator hire of Chad Morris looks like a disaster after this performance. The Tigers rank last in the ACC in total offense and explosive plays. Swinney knows the team must take responsibility. “It’s difficult, but ain’t nobody coming to save us, nobody cares, we’ve got to find a way to get it done,” Swinney said. The team has two games left on the schedule. Next they head to play Duke before coming back home to host South Carolina. Clemson will hope Reynolds is back healthy for those final matchups.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
