ATLANTA (AP) — DJ Ugalelli threw for one touchdown and ran for another as No. 4 Clemson overcame a slow start in the season opener to roll to a 41-10 victory over Georgia Tech on Monday night.
Ugalelli completed 19 of 32 passes for 209 yards, including a 6-yard scoring play to Beau Collins, as the Tigers took the lead twice in the first half.
Georgia Tech, looking to improve on the three consecutive three-win seasons that put coach Geoff Collins on the hot seat, made it a lot closer than expected.
But the Yellow Jackets couldn’t overcome two blocked punts, both of which resulted in short touchdown runs by Will Shipley.
Georgia Tech pulled within 14-10 in the third quarter, culminating in Jeff Sims’ 13-yard TD pass to 6-foot-7 transfer EJ Jenkins.
But on the play of the game, Ugalelli appeared headed for a sack when tackled by two Georgia Tech defenders on third-and-4. But the quarterback was able to stay upright and run 10 yards for a first down to flip a lateral to Shipley, keeping Clemson’s offense on the field.
The Tigers went on a 74-yard drive that eventually buried the Yellow Jackets. Ugalelli ran it in from 9 yards out to push Clemson’s lead to 24-10.
After both teams struggled early on offense, Clemson scored its first touchdown on special teams.
Carson Donnelly broke the streak and beat a punt by David Shanahan. Brannon Spector fumbles the ball at the Georgia Tech 18 and downs 5.
The Yellow Jackets put up a strong goal line stand, but Shipley eventually converted on 1st fourth-and-goal.
Sims threw an interception in Georgia Tech’s first game of the season, an ill-advised deep throw under pressure from Andrew Mukuba.
With the Yellow Jackets’ third-year quarterback considered key to the team’s postseason chances, Collins has a specific goal of getting consistent play off the bench by bringing in Chip Long as offensive coordinator and Chris Weinke as quarterbacks coach. Sims
He showed flashes of throwing and running, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset. Sims threw for 164 yards and led the team in rushing with 41 yards.
The second Chick-fil-A Kickoff game was played on Labor Day weekend in front of a crowd of 47,712 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the upper deck closed to make it look like a Clemson home game.
As it is, it looks like at least half the crowd is decked out in orange.
The take
Clemson: Coming off a 10-3 season that was considered disappointing by the Tigers’ highest standards, this team still looks like a work in progress.
For the first time in Dabo Swinney’s 14 full seasons as coach, Clemson is breaking through with two new coordinators, so it may take a while to get everyone on the same page.
But the offensive line didn’t look dominant and there was a big gap between the third- and fourth-ranked teams in the country. No. 3 Georgia beat No. 11 Oregon 49-3 in Saturday’s first kickoff.
Georgia Tech: Collins doesn’t seem to have done much to fix some of the common problems that plagued his first three years in Atlanta.
There were too many penalties, several false starts, an unnecessary pass interference penalty, a drive that extended the Yellow Jackets’ possession, and a targeting call that led to Charlie Thomas being sacked.
Also, the special teams were a mess. Two banned points are no excuse.
Implications of public opinion
Clemson remains where it is in the Associated Press rankings after falling to the last point in the expected range.
Next
Clemson: Takes on FCS Southern Conference member Furman in its home opener Saturday. The campus is 35 miles from Death Valley, a short drive for the Paladins.
Georgia Tech: Another Southern Conference team will play its campus opener Saturday when Western Carolina visits Bobby Dodd Stadium.
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