CLEMSON — Bryant Wesco says he and his Clemson teammates owe it to their fans to win Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech.
The Tigers are just 2-8 in their last 10 home games versus Power 4 competition, a crazy stat considering the Tigers owned the nation’s longest home winning streak of 40 games from 2016-2022. In fact, the Tigers won 61 of 62 games from 2013-2022.
“We owe it to our fans. We owe it to Death Valley to win these home games,” Wesco said. “These are the types of games that we play in conference.”
The Tigers have won 10 of their last 11 games overall against the Yellow Jackets, including nine straight from 2015-2023.
Georgia Tech (2-7, 1-5 ACC) at Clemson (6-3, 4-2 ACC)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson
- TV: CW
- Spread: Clemson minus-13.5
- Total: 47.5
- Series: Georgia Tech leads 52-36-2
- Last meeting: Georgia Tech won 24-21 in 2025
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Clemson is still in the mix at an ACC Championship Game appearance. Of course, to stay in the mix, the Tigers need to keep winning.
KEY MATCHUP
For a second week in a row, the Clemson offense will start three sophomores and one freshman on the offensive line. Overall, they did a pretty good job in last week’s win over Syracuse. The Tigers ran for 162 yards and 4.8 yards per carry against a stingy Orange defensive front that has two very good interior linemen. Tech’s Tawfiq Thomas (6-4, 315) is a big body to move at defensive tackle and has been very disruptive for the Yellow Jackets on the defensive line. However, the Yellow Jackets are allowing 222.8 yards per game on the ground, including 5.1 yards per carry.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The Yellow Jackets are averaging just 118.7 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 116th nationally and 14th in the ACC. Their 3.9 yards per carry ranks 11th in the league. Despite Tech’s inability to run the football, Justice Haynes has been a consistent bright spot in an offense that has struggled all season. The former Alabama and Michigan transfer ranks seventh in the ACC in rushing yards per game, averaging 79.4 per game. He has 635 rushing yards and 4 TDs on the ground. In all, he has 718 yards from scrimmage and six TDs.
Bryant Wesco leads Clemson with 44 catches and 511 yards and no touchdowns. Though Tech has struggled on defense, its pass defense has played well, allowing just 196.1 yards per game, while holding the opposition to 57.8 completion percentage, the third lowest in the ACC. However, Wesco was an issue for the Yellow Jackets in last year’s game, as the junior tallied seven catches for 126 yards, including a 73-yard catch-and-run for a TD.
THIS AND THAT
Dabo Swinney’s first game as a head coach, though he was Clemson’s interim coach at the time, came against Georgia Tech in 2008 in Death Valley. Saturday, when the Tigers host Georgia Tech, will mark Swinney’s 250 game as a head coach. Once he qualifies for the 250-game threshold on Saturday, Swinney’s win total, 193 at the moment, will be the third-highest by an FBS head coach through the first 250 games of a career.
FINAL ANALYSIS
This is a matchup of the ACC’s worst offense in Clemson, against the league’s worst defense in Georgia Tech. Something has to give, right? Obviously, the winner of this matchup will win the game. The Tigers should be able to move the football against the Yellow Jackets, however, can they finish drives. That is the question. Clemson ranks 137 out of 138 teams in red zone offense, converting just 11 TDs on 30 attempts so far this season.
Prediction
Clemson 31, Georgia Tech 17