#4 Clemson Opens Season With 41-10 Win Over Georgia Tech at MBS

By Don Stone, Georgia Tech Express

     The season opener for Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium ended up pretty much the way most thought it would. It was a 41-10 loss to the #4 ranked Clemson Tigers.

    Coming in, the Yellow Jackets had a combined nine wins over the last three seasons. So, an upset was highly unlikely.
But, it was competitive for a long longer than many expected. It was scoreless after one quarter with the Rambling Wreck only trailing 14-10 halfway through the third quarter. Then the Tigers began wearing down their opponent closing out the game with 27 unanswered points.

   Tech shot themselves in the foot over and over again, something you can’t do with a superior team like Clemson.
   Carson Donelly blocked a Yellow Jacket punt and returned it to the 5-yard line setting up a four-play touchdown by Will Shipley for the game’s first points.

   Other miscues included an interception on the first play of the game and a missed field goal attempt.

   A strange decision by head coach Geoff Collins came when he chose to take a 10-second runoff putting 33 seconds of the clock at the end of the first half. The Tigers were lined up to punt.
   He also used up all three timeouts early in the second half with 11 minutes still to play in the game.

   Tech’s only TD came with Jeff Sims found E.J. Jenkins on a 13-yard third quarter TD to cut the lead to 14-10. The QB finished 23 of 36 passing for 164 yards along with 41 rushing yards.

   Things should be a lot easier for the Jackets’ home opener this Saturday as they welcome Western Carolina at 7:00p.m.