Yabba Dabo Doo--Tech Tames Tigers
( photo- Georgia Tech Athletics)
Ding dong , the streak is dead. Georgia Tech beat #12 Clemson on Saturday , ending a losing streak of nine games in this long- running series. Tech's Aidan Birr nailed a 55 yard field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock to send a big and boisterous crowd home happy– after they stormed the field at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Birr's field goal came after Tech's last possession brought them to the Clemson 37.
Minutes earlier, the Yellow Jackets had seen their 21-14 lead vanish when Cade Clubnik drove the Tigers for the tying score on a 13 play, 75 yard drive. Clemson RB Adam Randle scored the touchdown on a 2 yard carry, knotting the score at 21 all.
And so it was left to Tech QB Haynes King to lead his team from their own 25 to field goal range with 3:26 on the clock and 2 timeouts.
Somehow they pulled it off, covering 38 yards on 10 plays to set the stage for the field goal team to scurry onto the field with the game clock winding down inside 10 seconds. Birr then executed his 55 yard kick with all the aplomb of a routine PAT.
When his kick sailed inside tbe right upright, the fans erupted in celebration, bringing their joy onto the field .
Birr had a banner day, hitting a 40 yarder and a 42 yarder earlier in the contest.
( photo RamblinSports)
This victory stamped Georgia Tech as a legitimate contender for the ACC title. Yes, there is much football left to play, and there are plenty of hurdles ahead. But turning away a talented and motivated team of Tigers in this fashion was a new milestone in the Brent Key era on the Flats.
The game felt like a heavyweight tilt, with two big hitters trading licks. The Yellow Jackets crafted a 13-0 lead before Cade Clubnik and crew answered late in the second quarter. Clubnik converted on a fourth down quarterback sneak from the one yard line to complete a 16 play , 75 -yard drive.
The Tigers scored again midway thru the 3rd quarter when Clubnik found Bryant Wesco Jr. on a shallow right route. He got to the outside and then tightroped down the sideline to complete a 73-yard touchdown play, leading to Clemson's first lead at 14-13.
Haynes King returned the favor with an early fourth quarter 90 yard drive, using 13 plays and over six minutes of clock. King scored on a one yard run. Tech made a two- point conversion on a reverse pass from Malik Rutherford to Dean Patterson to make it 21-14.
It was here that Clemson again drove for a score, setting up the situation for Birr's last- second heroics, tying a school record with his 55 yard three- pointer to win it for Tech.
" We've been working thst situation, so I'm ready for that, " Birr explained later.
Post-game, Tech players and coaches were exuberant, and again QB Haynes King was the center of focus for Tech's offense. On the day, he was 20 of 28 passing for 211 yards. He also carried the ball 25 times for 103 yards and a score.
Despite all the glossy stats, Tech's QB deflected credit, saying " It means a lot, knowing that he ( Key) trusts me", said King.
Key, in turn, praised King, reminding all that " the way he elevates out team, the way they believe in him", is the most important aspect of King's contribution.
Regardless of who credits whom for what, this much is certifiably true– Georgia Tech is 3-0 for the first time since 2016, and they look and feel ready to ascend to the upper ranks of the ACC.
Even in the immediate aftermath of this big win, Haynes King was advising caution, saying " How we come in tomorrow is everything."
Tech's senior QB is a coach on the field and he is well aware othe perils of a letdown after a big win. " We've been there, we've done that, we've had things like this happen before".
Both Haynes and King sang praises of Tech's defense as well. They procured two critical turnovers and got some big stops at key moments. That said, there was also a 73 yard touchdown pass allowed , a conversion of a 3rd and 22 on a draw play and the big fourth quarter drive led by Clubnik to tie the game at 21.
Even so, tbe defense played well enough to win, obviously, and they seem to be playing better each week.
Clemson fell to 1-2 on the season, 0-1 in the ACC. The Tigers and Dabo look ahead to a Saturday home tilt with Syracuse in a game that iscritical to their goal of reaching the ACC title game.
As for Georgia Tech, they host Temple at home next week for game four.