It was a nightmare of a day for Clemson. They were dominated by Georgia Tech 28-6, and also lost their best player, quarterback Deshaun Watson, for the season reportedly with a torn ACL, according to Clemson247.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech final score: 3 things we learned from the Yellow Jackets’ 28-6 win
The Yellow Jackets rolled over the Tigers after Deshaun Watson reportedly was lost to a torn ACL.
Watson had the Tigers' offense moving fairly well early, but everything fell apart when he left the game at the start of the second quarter. Cole Stoudt threw a pick six on his second snap, and it wouldn't get much better for him. He threw three picks on the day, including a second pick six, before getting pulled for Nick Schuessler in the second half. The Georgia Tech defense played well, to be sure, but the Tigers were shellshocked and couldn't get anything going for the majority of the game.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, stuck to the script and ground out a win over a top 25 team. Justin Thomas had a nice game pulling the strings, going 7-10 for 86 yards and a TD and rushing for 48 yards. Synjyn Days was their leading rusher with 89 yards, but nine players got at least one carry.
Three things we learned
1. Deshaun Watson's season is over, and that's a shame. Watson returned today after missing the previous three weeks with a hand injury, and his return lasted approximately 15 minutes until he went down. It's a punch in the gut for Clemson, who look much better with the freshman phenom taking snaps. Cole Stoudt was a disaster in relief, throwing two pick sixes and three picks overall before getting pulled for Nick Schuessler.
With their hopes for an Orange Bowl berth dashed and their best player likely out for the year, all that’s left for the Tigers is to try to snap their five game losing streak to South Carolina.
2. The Yellow Jackets have a great shot at the Orange Bowl. Assuming Florida State stays undefeated and in the College Football Playoff field, Georgia Tech has set themselves up well to get to the Orange Bowl. Considering the team’s struggles over the past few years, that would be a huge and very pleasant surprise for Tech fans.
A loss by Duke would help their chances, but that loss may be taken care of for them in the ACC Championship against Florida State. Regardless of what happens, Georgia Tech is 9-2 with a chance at 10 wins against Georgia on Nov. 29th.
3. The Georgia Tech offense keeps humming along. The option offense the Yellow Jackets are known for is running along in fine form. Georgia Tech rushed for 251 yards on 50 carries against Clemson’s defense, which was ranked 4th in the nation in rushing defense entering this game, allowing just over 90 yards per game. They left a lot of points on the field kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns, but with the defense picking up points, they held onto the ball and did what they do.
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