Oct. 10, 2015
| #6 CLEMSON (5-0, 2-0) 43, GEORGIA TECH (2-4, 0-3) 24 SATURDAY, OCT. 10 ● CLEMSON, S.C. ● MEMORIAL STADIUM (80,983) FINAL STATS | QUOTES | NOTES | PHOTOS |
CLEMSON, S.C. – Redshirt junior quarterback Justin Thomas threw two touchdowns – one for 50 yards and a second for 46 – in Georgia Tech’s 43-24 road loss Saturday at No. 6 Clemson.
Thomas finished with 159 yards on 6-of-14 passing as the Jackets amassed more passing yards (159) than rushing yards (71) for the first time since the 2014 season opener. Marcus Marshall led the Jackets on the ground with 45 yards on 11 carries.
Ricky Jeune led all Tech receivers with 69 yards on two catches and one score, while freshman Mikell Lands-Davis added two catches for 37 yards.
Defensively, Jamal Golden and Adam Gotsis led the way with eight tackles each. Gotsis also added a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown – his first career TD.
Deshaun Watson threw for two touchdowns, Wayne Gallman ran for two scores for Clemson (5-0, 2-0 ACC) which handed the Yellow Jackets (2-4, 0-3), who lost four straight for the first time since 1996.
Gallman ran for 115 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown run on the game’s third play and Clemson’s rout was on.
Watson passed for 265 yards, his highest total this season, and had touchdown throws of 29 and 8 yards to tight end Jordan Leggett.
Clemson’s defense held the Yellow Jackets to 71 yards rushing, its lowest total in coach Paul Johnson’s eight seasons.
The proof began three plays in when Gallman swept around the left end and went 66 yards for the Tigers longest play of the year and a 7-0 lead on the game’s third play.
Thomas was intercepted moments later and the Tigers tacked on a field goal to take an early double-digit lead for the second straight contest. While Clemson struggled to build on its 14-0 lead on Notre Dame last week, it little problem piercing the Yellow Jackets defense. Watson went 5-of-5 passing for 68 yards on a second-quarter drive Gallman finished from a yard out for his second TD and a 17-3 lead.
Watson went to the air in the second quarter, finding Leggett on scoring passes of 29 and 8 yards to take a 33-10 lead at half.
It was a dominating show by Clemson, which outgained Georgia Tech 318 to 109 in the opening half.
The Yellow Jackets, who came in leading the ACC with 311 yards a game on the ground, were held to 56 in the first half by Clemson’s defense. They did not do much better after halftime, gaining just 15 on the ground the final 30 minutes.
Georgia Tech’s previous low rushing during Johnson’s time was 79 yards gained on the ground in a 10-7 over Gardner-Webb on Oct. 11, 2008 in the coach’s first season.
