Clemson Tigers vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Preview

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Clemson Tigers met in last year’s ACC Championship Game. They both have no margin for error if they want to stage a repeat this season.

In 2009, Georgia Tech and Clemson both rose to the top of the ACC, with Tech winning a thrilling ACC title tilt in Jacksonville, Florida, by a 39-34 score. The Yellow Jackets’ offense hummed with rhythm and efficiency in that game, much as it did throughout the season in general. There were occasional hiccups along the way, but Coach Paul Johnson regularly made the adjustments that were needed to get his team to a BCS bowl.

Clemson almost toppled Tech in 2009, as the Tigers finally won their first-ever ACC Atlantic Division crown. Coach Dabo Swinney seemed to unlock the best in his ballplayers, guiding a snake-bitten program to a big stage for the first time in a while. Following the unfulfilled tenure of beleaguered coach Tommy Bowden, Swinney – a member of Bowden’s staff – earned a lot of trust from his roster. That was one of a few core ingredients which made Clemson a better and tougher team. Heading into 2010, there was a pervasive sense that a new kind of Clemson would emerge.

Now, that sense has been shattered. Clemson is 1-2 in the ACC and 3-3 overall. The Tigers won one of their games against an FCS school and a second game against a Sun Belt opponent (North Texas). This club has no real achievements to speak of and no identity to stand on. This clash with Georgia Tech is so important for Clemson because Swinney needs the kind of win he can hang his hat on. Unless or until the 2010 Tigers bag a big-league foe, questions will swirl around the program and undercut Swinney’s authority.

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The Yellow Jackets need to be at their best on offense. Playing on the road, it’s hard to expect Tech to stop Clemson’s offense at every turn. The Jackets’ defense, under new defensive coordinator Al Groh, is a 3-4 scheme which has taken a lot of time to take root. Tech has gradually begun to play better, but the boys from Atlanta have yet to dominate an evenly-matched opponent. This Saturday, Tech gets to face Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker, a markedly struggling signal caller who has not been able to find a groove all year. If the Yellow Jackets can simply avoid getting torched, a strong, above-average offensive performance will be more than enough to get the job done. Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt needs to run the team’s triple-option offense with polish and precision. Nesbitt needs running back Anthony Allen to avoid fumbling, a big problem for Allen this season.

The Tigers – who collected just 213 yards last week against Maryland and rushed for only 94 – need some kind of spark on offense. With some motivation here and some practice-field improvement over there, Clemson could amount to something on offense. Even a modest increase in production could work wonders against Georgia Tech’s suspect defense, which has allowed at least 20 points in every FBS game this season.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer