CLEMSON, S.C. – Despite 104 rushing yards from running back Jamal Haynes and eight tackles and an interception from defensive back Jaylon King, Georgia Tech football could not overcome Clemson’s 21-point second quarter in a 42-21 loss to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
With the defeat, Georgia Tech (5-5, 4-3 ACC) lost for the first time in its last six Atlantic Coast Conference road games and saw its two-game overall winning streak come to an end.
Tech led 7-0 after one quarter, but Clemson (6-4, 3-4 ACC) outscored the Yellow Jackets 21-0 in the second period and never looked back on its way to its ninth-straight win over the Jackets.
Georgia Tech, which had outscored its last two opponents by a 91-56 margin en route to back-to-back wins, seemingly picked up where it left off when it jumped out to the early 7-0 advantage on a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Haynes King less than 10 minutes into the ballgame. Tech only needed to drive 25 yards for the opening score, as it took over deep in Clemson territory after a fake punt attempt by the Tigers was snuffed out by swarm of Yellow Jackets, led by Abdul Janneh.
However, the lead was short-lived, as Clemson took control with touchdown drives of 75, 42 and 92 yards on its next three possessions. Proficiency on third and fourth down was key to Clemson’s scoring blitz, as the Tigers racked up 97 yards on 15 third- and fourth-down plays in the opening half and converted at least one first down on each of its second-quarter touchdown drives.
Trailing 21-7 at halftime, Georgia Tech was not able to get anything going offensively after the break, as its first five possessions of the second half resulted in two punts and three interceptions, and Clemson stretched its lead to 42-7 early in the fourth quarter.
Touchdown receptions by Tech running back Dontae Smith and tight end Dylan Leonard – the first TD catches of both seniors’ careers – accounted for the final margin.
Haynes was a bright spot for the Yellow Jackets, as the 100-yard rushing performance was his second-straight and the third of his season and career. He needed only 15 carries to crack the 100-yard mark, good for a 6.9-yard average for the afternoon.
Defensively, the Jackets were led by Jaylon King, who had eight tackles to go along with his team-leading fourth interception of the season. His four INTs are the most by a Yellow Jacket in a season since 2014.
Georgia Tech returns home for its final two games of the regular season, beginning next Saturday versus Syracuse. Kickoff for Tech’s ACC finale is set for 8 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field and the game will be televised nationally on ACC Network.