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[figcap]Georgia Tech defensive back Jamal Golden #4 intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown[/figcap][/float_left]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.
"The interception came directly from film study," said Golden. "Once again that's where most of my picks have come from. When I saw the open field, as a kick returner and punt returner, I was just thinking about getting in the end zone."
Georgia Tech never looked back. After the Jackets went into halftime with a 9-3 lead, the offense hit the field and increased the 6-point halftime margin quickly. On the first offensive play of the second half quarterback Justin Thomas ripped off a 65-yard option keeper down to the Clemson 10-yard line. Three plays later, Thomas found wide receiver DeAndre Smelter in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Yellow Jackets up 16-3 less than three minutes into the half.
"It was just a simple fade route," said Thomas. "It was a one-on-one matchup in man [coverage]. DeAndre went up and made a good catch."
That was all the Jackets needed to feel comfortable the rest of the way, but they didn't stop there. Later in the third quarter cornerback Chris Milton did his best Jamal Golden impression by intercepting a Clemson pass and returning it for another touchdown, this time bringing it back 62 yards.
From there the Tech offense and defense had seized all momentum and carried it through the final whistle. Today though, it was the Georgia Tech defense that took the spotlight, finishing with three interceptions for the game and holding Clemson's offense to a modest 190 yards of total offense. "We haven't had a game like that defensively in a while," said head coach Paul Johnson. "Those kids work so hard, it was so pleasing to see them come out and play as well as they did."
Georgia Tech has next weekend off and will conclude its regular season in Athens, GA against the Georgia Bulldogs on November 29.
Other news and notes:
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.
"The interception came directly from film study," said Golden. "Once again that's where most of my picks have come from. When I saw the open field, as a kick returner and punt returner, I was just thinking about getting in the end zone."
Georgia Tech never looked back. After the Jackets went into halftime with a 9-3 lead, the offense hit the field and increased the 6-point halftime margin quickly. On the first offensive play of the second half quarterback Justin Thomas ripped off a 65-yard option keeper down to the Clemson 10-yard line. Three plays later, Thomas found wide receiver DeAndre Smelter in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Yellow Jackets up 16-3 less than three minutes into the half.
"It was just a simple fade route," said Thomas. "It was a one-on-one matchup in man [coverage]. DeAndre went up and made a good catch."
That was all the Jackets needed to feel comfortable the rest of the way, but they didn't stop there. Later in the third quarter cornerback Chris Milton did his best Jamal Golden impression by intercepting a Clemson pass and returning it for another touchdown, this time bringing it back 62 yards.
From there the Tech offense and defense had seized all momentum and carried it through the final whistle. Today though, it was the Georgia Tech defense that took the spotlight, finishing with three interceptions for the game and holding Clemson's offense to a modest 190 yards of total offense. "We haven't had a game like that defensively in a while," said head coach Paul Johnson. "Those kids work so hard, it was so pleasing to see them come out and play as well as they did."
Georgia Tech has next weekend off and will conclude its regular season in Athens, GA against the Georgia Bulldogs on November 29.
Other news and notes:
- Junior running back Broderick Snoddy left the game in second quarter with a leg injury. He was carted off the field after receiving support from the Georgia Tech trainers, coaches, teammates, and fans.
- Head coach Paul Johnson has moved to 7-2 at home and 9-12 overall against ranked opponents
- Sophomore kicker Harrison Butker converted three of his four field goal attempts with his lone miss coming from 48 yards out
- Despite Georgia Tech's struggles offensively the team still converted 7 of 14 third down attempts. Conversely the Georgia Tech defense held Clemson to 3 of 13 on third down.
- 22 seniors were recognized for their contributions to Georgia Tech prior to playing their last game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. The win made it a day they will not quickly forget. "It was huge," said senior linebacker QuayShawn Nealy. "It was Senior Day. I had a lot of emotion going through my head just thinking about it. A win like this over Clemson on Senior day - I will always remember this."
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