WHAT WE ARE HEARING: PREVIEW & PREDICTION FOR NO.12 CLEMSON AT GEORGIA TECH

Welcome to the ACC opener edition of What We Are Hearing!

The Tigers are coming off their first win of the season, 27-16 over Troy, but the natives are getting restless. After scoring just 10 points against LSU in the opener and an ugly, underwhelming first half against Troy in which the Tigers fell behind 16-0, the boo birds were heard loud and clear in Death Valley. Fortunately, the Tigers snapped out of their trance and proceeded to score 27 unanswered points. Let’s hope they can keep that going on Saturday because if they only play one-half of good football like they have in the first two games, they will probably leave Atlanta 0-1 in ACC play. The good news is that the defense has been much-improved from last season, allowing just 10 points until the 4th quarter against a dangerous LSU offense with a great quarterback and just 9 points (they scored one of their two touchdowns on a 5-yard pick-six) last week. Despite the offense’s ugly start to the season, I am still very confident that they will start clicking soon and be a top-10 offense this season. I felt good about the defense coming into the season, and now we have confirmation that it’s pretty good through two games. Again, hopefully Cade and the offense will hit their stride sooner rather than later.

On to the matchup…

GEORGIA TECH SYNOPSIS

Head Coach Brent Key has done an incredible job in a short time at his alma mater. The former offensive lineman has brought a culture of physicality and toughness to this program, and they very nearly (and should have) shocked the world and beaten Georgia in Athens last season but lost in 8 overtimes. They are 2-0, opening the season with a gritty comeback win at Colorado after turning the ball over 3 times in the first quarter.

Tech’s success is largely due to its offensive backfield. Quarterback Haynes King, a former transfer from Texas A&M, was incredible in that Georgia game last season, playing through injury, and showed us more of the same at Colorado in the opener. He has the ability and the will to take over a game. They held King out of the Gardner-Webb game last week with the lower-body injury he suffered and played through at Colorado, but all indications are that he will start on Saturday. Honestly, that guy would have to be in traction to miss this game. In the opener, he was only 13-20 for 143 yards with an interception through the air, but he rushed for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 carries! Even if King can’t play or leaves the game early, backup quarterback Aaron Philo is pretty solid. As a true freshman last season, he had to spell and injured Haynes King and led Tech to a 30-29 win over NC State, going 19-33 for 265 yards. He also rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on 7 carries. In last week’s 59-12 win over Gardner-Webb, he was 21-28 for 373 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

It's not all Haynes King in the backfield, either. RB Jamal Haynes was named Preseason All-ACC, and he will have a Preseason All-ACC offensive lineman, Keylan Rutledge, blocking for him. Haynes played for Grayson High in Loganville, Georgia, which several former Clemson players, including Phil Mafah. He was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2023 and just shy of that last season, averaging 5.6 yards per carry with 9 touchdowns. Through two games, he is averaging 6.3 yards per carry with a pair of scores last week. They will also pass to him a couple times per game.

Tech lost its best receiver, Eric Singleton, to Auburn in the transfer portal, and it remains to be seen if they have another star in the making. The Jackets’ leading pass catcher, sophomore slot receiver Bailey Stockton (#7), has 6 catches for 91 yards and has yet to score this season. In fact, the entire team only has 2 touchdown catches in their first couple games. One was by 6’2, 200-pound senior WR Dean Patterson (#11), who has 3 catches for 87 yards. The other was by 6’4, 215-pound sophomore WR Isiah Canion (#4), who has 4 catches for 67 yards and the most impressive physique of the receiving corps. Speedy true freshman slot receiver Jordan Allen (#85) made his first career catch last week, and it went for 78 yards.

On the defensive side, Saturday could be the Georgia Tech debut of former Clemson DE AJ Hoffler (#88)! The Atlanta native has missed their first two games with an injury, but I have a sneaking suspicion he will be looking to sack Cade on Saturday. The Jackets have created just one turnover in the first two games—a fumble recovery. Senior DT Akelo Stone (#7) and sophomore DE Amontrae Bradford (#98) each have a pair of Tech’s 6 sacks this season. Junior kicker Aidan Birr was just 15-22 on field goals last season but made a 51-yarder. He is 3-3 this season with a long of 43.

CLEMSON STATUS

In accordance with the new ACC rule, Clemson released its first weekly availability report on Thursday night. WR Antonio Williams, SS Khalil Barnes, LT Tristan Leigh—all of whom missed the Troy game last week—are listed as questionable, but we could see one or all of them on Saturday. Sophomore RG Elyjah Thurmon is also listed as questionable but not as critical as the three aforementioned starters. Antonio was knocked out of the first quarter against LSU with a hamstring, and the offense sure could benefit from his return! Tyler Brown has made some good plays in his place at slot, but he is not on Antonio’s level yet. Former WR Ronan Hanafin has been outstanding at safety with Barnes out, posting his first career interception last week, and almost had two of them. Hampton and Ricardo Jones also had picks last week, and the Tigers have won the turnover margin in each of their first two games. Transfer DE Will Heldt has recorded a sack in each of the first two games. RB Adam Randall posted his first career 100-yard rushing game last week, and WR Bryant Wesco had a pair of touchdown catches.

PREDICTION

It’s been a slow start for the offense, but it’s truly only a matter of time until they start lighting up the scoreboard. There is too much talent on that side of the ball. The offensive line was poor in the opener, and perhaps that got into Cade’s head a little in the first half last week. He threw an incredible deep ball to Wesco in the endzone last week, though, and he has just one “real” interception in the first two games. I’m a little disappointed that he has not had an impact with his legs yet, as we saw last season, but, again, I think it’s only a matter of time before he finds his legs. Last season was a terrible opener for the offense against Georgia, but Cade and the offense put up unprecedented numbers in the following first half against App State. I was expecting a similar story against Troy, but the offenses didn’t show up until the end of the first half. I think that we will finally see the Tigers put together at least 3 (hopefully 4) good quarters in their first road game of the season. They will need to get off to a good start and build a lead because Tech will bleed the clock with that run game—especially if playing with a lead. The Tigers need to lead by a couple of scores early and force Tech out of its comfort zone, forcing the Jackets to throw the ball. An early lead will also take the noon crowd out of the game.

The Prowl toward an 8th College Football Playoff and 4th national title continues….

CLEMSON    31        Georgia Tech    20