Here is a look at the top matchups for today’s game between Georgia Tech and No. 6 Clemson. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ABC regionally and on ESPN2 nationally. The Yellow Jackets enter the game with a 2-3 record and are 0-2 in the ACC, while the Tigers are 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the ACC.
Brent Venables vs. Paul Johnson: This will be another one of those great chess matches. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson calls his own plays with very little help from up top. He likes to try to get in the head of a defensive coordinator and frustrate him by going for fourth-and-one and fourth-and-two no matter where he is at on the field. He is very confident in his play calling and how his players run his system. Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables established the blue print on how to slow down Tech’s powerful triple option offense. Last year, the Tigers held Georgia Tech to its lowest rushing total of the season. In that game, Venables had his linebackers shut the A gaps to take away the fullback dive, forcing the ball outside where he had his other two linebackers and the defensive end stretching the play to the sideline, forcing the quarterback to commit himself or to the pitch man earlier than he would like. We have already seen Notre Dame, Duke and North Carolina deploy this same style with a lot of success against Tech’s triple option. The Jackets had just 216 rushing yards against Notre Dame, 173 against Duke and 255 against North Carolina. In each game, they were held way below their average, which right now is 311.8 yards per game. Be prepared to see Johnson throw out a couple of tricks to try and counter what Venables does with his linebackers. Advantage: Clemson
Justin Thomas vs. Clemson’s defensive ends: The reason Clemson did such a good job against Tech’s triple option last year was due to the fact defensive ends Vic Beasley and Corey Crawford stayed home, avoided the cut blocks and forced quarterback Justin Thomas to stretch the play out. Remember, the best way to defend the option is to have the quarterback go as long as possible before making a decision. Once he decides not to use the fullback in the dive action, the defensive end cannot commit himself too early. He wants to force Thomas to go down the line with the ball, allowing his backers and the corners to get in position to make a play if he decides to pitch the ball. Committing too early could allow Tech the opportunity to break off a long run or two. Lawson has played a lot in this game the last two years so he has experience against Thomas who is one of the best at running the option. However, Kevin Dodd has not played, and I can see Johnson trying to attack Dodd’s side often, especially early in the game to see if the junior is disciplined with his assignment. Dodd and Lawson cannot afford to crash the dive and give themselves up too early on the play or Thomas is going to have a field day with both the run and the pass. Advantage: Georgia Tech
Clemson’s O-line vs. Tech’s D-Line: After Deshaun Watson went out of the game last year with an injury Clemson’s offensive line was manhandled by Tech’s front line the rest of the afternoon. The Tigers were held to 68 yards rushing over the last three quarters and backups quarterbacks Cole Stoudt and Nick Schuessler were harassed all afternoon. Earlier this week, Johnson said they knew Clemson could not run the ball once Watson left the game so they committed everyone to stopping the run, forcing Clemson into second- and third-and-long situations. Though this is not the same group of offensive linemen, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has challenged his O-line to man up this week after saying last year that Tech just beat their butts up front. Clemson is averaging 194 yards a game on the ground and in three of the four games this season, it has rushed for 200 or more yards, including 202 against Louisville and 212 against Notre Dame, who held Tech’s run heavy offense to 216 yards. Tech is giving up 169.6 yards per game, including 215 yards to Notre Dame and 231 yards to North Carolina. In four of their five games to this point, Tech has allowed at least 165 yards on the ground. Advantage: Clemson
Deshaun Watson vs. Georgia Tech defense: Before being injured last year, Watson was on his way to a big afternoon. Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof will try to eliminate Watson from the running game in hopes they can take away Clemson’s rushing attack. Against Notre Dame last week, Watson had a career-high 93 yards on a career-high 16 carries, including a 21-yard touchdown. Watson will be used in the running game a lot today, but if Tech commits a lot of defenders to the run, look for the Clemson quarterback to pull up and start targeting his wide receivers, who should be left in a lot of one-on-one situations. The Tigers have not had many opportunities to throw the ball deep this season for various reasons, but Tech could provide a few this afternoon, and Watson, if he recognizes the blitzes, is more than capable of taking advantage of those opportunities. Advantage: Clemson
Bottom line: Georgia Tech will come into Death Valley as a very desperate team this afternoon. The Yellow Jackets already have two losses in the ACC and they cannot afford to lose a third game or their goals of winning the ACC are over in just the second week of October. Johnson will pull out a couple of tricks this afternoon just to give his team some confidence with the hope it loosens up Clemson’s defense and opens up his running game. But don’t think Clemson is going to feel sorry for Tech or even overlook the Yellow Jackets and have a letdown following last week’s win over Notre Dame. The Tigers have not forgotten the beatdown they received from Tech in Atlanta last year so Tech will get Clemson’s undivided attention. Clemson is concentrating on one thing and one thing only in this game and every game, and that is Clemson. If the Tigers don’t beat themselves, then they are going to be okay. Also, look for Watson and that passing attack to get things going this afternoon.
Prediction: Clemson 52, Georgia Tech 16