ATLANTA, GA - Continuing a late season trend of aggressiveness and forcing turnovers, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defense turned in their best performance of the year Saturday. The Jackets (9-2, 6-2) forced three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, and finished off Clemson with two fourth quarter sacks en route to a 28-6 victory over Clemson (7-3, 6-2) Saturday afternoon at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Georgia Tech's prolific offense struggled for most of the first half. Clemson's equally prolific defense was at fault, forcing Tech into rare negative plays and disrupting the Jackets' offensive rhythm in the early going. As a result Tech's five first half possessions yielded 3 total points.
Clemson used their early momentum to jump out to a 3-0 lead on their second possession of the game. On their third possession the complexion of the game changed. Driving deep into Georgia Tech territory Clemson true freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson converted a first down run to the Georgia Tech 14 yard line. That play, it turned out, would be Watson's last as he left the game with a knee injury and did not return.
In came senior quarterback Cole Stoudt, Clemson's season-opening starter who continued in the role for most of the season. Three plays after Watson's injury, Georgia Tech safety Jamal Golden read Clemson's offensive formation, jumped a cross-field pass from Stoudt, and returned the interception 85 yards for the touchdown.
