No. 4 Clemson (0-0) at Georgia Tech (0-0), Monday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Line: Clemson by 22 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Georgia Tech leads 50-34-2.
What is at stake?
Clemson is looking to make up for a sub-division season by its standards. The Tigers were They went 10-3 in 2021, ending a streak of seven straight Atlantic Coast Conference titles and the same number of games in the College Football Playoff. Georgia Tech needs a big win to take some heat off coach Geoff Collins. After winning just three games in his first three seasons leading the Yellow Jackets, he appears to be training for the job.
Key match
Georgia Tech QB Jeff Sims vs Clemson defense. The Yellow Jackets need a big season from the third-year quarterback to have a chance to challenge the doubters. Sims has a strong arm and good running ability, but he hasn’t been able to put it all together consistently. In 2021, he will take over against a Clemson defense that has allowed just 14.8 points per game to lead the ACC.
Players to watch
Clemson: QB DJ Uiagalelei. Highly touted after two impressive performances his freshman year, Yougallee struggled in his first full season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. He battled injuries, was a little too bulky and struggled to contend with the critics who held him accountable for Clemson’s three-loss season. Ugalelei insists he will be a much different player than the one who completed 56% of his passes with 10 interceptions and nine TDs.
Georgia Tech: WR EJ Jenkins. The Yellow Jackets want to use Jenkins’ big size. The transfer from South Carolina is 6-foot-7, taller than most defensive backs, and his 243-pound frame generally gives him a big weight advantage.
Facts and figures
Clemson has won seven straight meetings against Georgia Tech, including a 14-8 victory a year ago. The teams last played in Atlanta, where the Tigers won 73-7 at Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2020. … Collins has a 9-25 record at Georgia Tech. Only Bill Curry (8-24-1) had a worse winning percentage after three seasons in the school’s modern era. … Clemson has 11 consecutive 10-win seasons, joining Alabama and Florida State as the only programs to accomplish that feat. … The Tigers are one of three schools coming off 10-win seasons that have been brutally beaten by Georgia Tech in their first five games. The others are Ole Miss and Pittsburgh.
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