NCAAF Game Recap - Georgia Tech at Clemson
Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:00 PM EDT

GATec
14
Clem
52
F
Duke
3
Bama
42
F
UGA
30
Vand
6
F
Hou
31
Okla
49
F
FlAtl
21
OSU
45
F
GaSo
3
LSU
55
F
MidTN
21
Mich
40
F
ND
35
Lou
17
F
LT
14
Tex
45
F
Oreg
21
Aub
27
F
TxSt
7
TxAM
41
F
EWa
14
Wash
47
F
Utah
30
BYU
12
F
Idaho
7
PSU
79
F
FlaAM
0
UCF
62
F
Tuls
7
MSU
28
F
Wisc
49
SoFL
0
F
MiaOH
14
Iowa
38
F
NoIa
26
IASt
29
F(2OT)
Syr
24
Lib
0
F
NMS
7
WaSt
58
F
SoAl
21
Neb
35
F
NW
7
Stan
17
F
Alb
21
C Mi
38
F
UCLA
14
Cin
24
F
RMor
10
Buff
38
F
Wagn
21
UConn
24
F
Mor
3
BGSU
46
F
C Ark
35
W Ky
28
F
GWebb
28
UNCC
49
F
JacSt
14
SouLA
35
F
AlaSt
19
UAB
24
F
FLInt
14
Tul
42
F
SDSU
21
MIN
28
F
NoCol
18
SJSU
35
F
Kent
7
AzSt
30
F
Rice
7
Army
14
F
UMass
21
Rut
48
F
UtSt
35
Wake
38
F
Purd
31
NEV
34
F
ColSt
31
Colo
52
F
OkSt
52
OreSt
36
F
Miss
10
Mem
15
F
MissSt
38
ULLaf
28
F
InSt
17
Kans
24
F
Akr
3
Ill
42
F
ECU
6
NCSt
34
F
How
0
MD
79
F
Toled
24
KY
38
F
Ind
34
Ball
24
F
Boise
36
FlaSt
31
F
JMU
13
WVU
20
F
URI
20
Ohio
41
F
Buck
12
Temp
56
F
HolyC
7
Navy
45
F
Colg
7
AF
48
F
GASt
38
Tenn
30
F
SCar
20
UNC
24
F
E Mi
30
CoCar
23
F
ETenn
7
App
42
F
MonSt
10
TxTch
45
F
PorSt
13
Ark
20
F
VaTec
28
BC
35
F
SamHu
31
NM
39
F
(N/A)
7
UTSA
35
F
Camp
14
Troy
43
F
UCDav
13
Cal
27
F
VMI
17
Marsh
56
F
IllSt
10
NIU
24
F
Monm
13
WestMI
48
F
AlcSt
10
SMiss
38
F
Nich
14
K St
49
F
SFA
17
Bayl
56
F
SMU
37
ArkSt
30
F
Norf
21
OD
24
F
MIZ
31
Wyo
37
F
Abil
31
NorTx
51
F
UVA
30
Pitt
14
F
Gram
9
ULMon
31
F
HBU
34
UTEP
36
F
ArkPB
7
TCU
39
F
Web
0
SDSU
6
F
SoUt
23
UNLV
56
F
Fres
23
USC
31
F

Aug 29, 2019, 8:00 PM EDT

Final

1

2

3

4

T

Georgia Tech (0-1)

0

0

7

7

14

(1) Clemson (1-0)

14

14

14

10

52

Etienne's 3 TDs lead No. 1 Clemson past Georgia Tech, 52-14
Fri Aug 30, 2019 1:03 AM

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Travis Etienne spent all offseason trying to ignore the national attention headed his way. He'll have a harder time doing that after the show he put on in No. 1 Clemson's opener.

Etienne, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, rushed for a career-high 205 yards and three touchdowns, including one from 90 yards out, as the Tigers overpowered Georgia Tech 52-14 Thursday night for their 16th straight victory in the opener for both ACC teams.

Etienne started slowly and had a first-quarter fumble to end a drive by the Tigers. The next time he touched the ball, the junior bounced to the left and outraced the Yellow Jackets to the end zone to tie the longest TD run in Clemson history.

Etienne added 14- and 48-yard rushing scores as Clemson went up 35-0. He averaged better than 17 yards on his 12 carries.

Still, Etienne brushed aside what this game might mean for him individually when Heisman Trophy voters are looking for performances like this.

"I really don't try to worry about who's out there watching," Etienne said. "I try to play the best for my team and just try to get to 1-0 every week and be there for my brothers."

Etienne was certainly there to lead the Tigers during a lackluster game for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The 6-foot-6 sophomore, so poised and polished in leading the Tigers to a 15-0, title-winning season, threw two interceptions in the first half. Lawrence had just four picks all last year.

Still, Lawrence had his moments. His hustle after a bad interception knocked defensive back Tre Swilling out of bounds at the Clemson 3, and the Tigers defense kept the Yellow Jackets from scoring. Lawrence opened things with a 6-yard rushing score and threw a perfect pass to Tee Higgins for a 62-yard touchdown.

Lawrence finished 13 of 23 for 168 yards.

Lawrence knew when he released the ball that Swilling would pick it off. But he went back to his football training, took a good angle and made the play. He said his teammates were cheering his hustle play.

"They weren't happy I threw an interception, but just happy he didn't score," Lawrence said.

Georgia Tech, changing its offensive and defensive styles under first-year coach Geoff Collins, struggled on both sides. It committed four turnovers and gave up more than 500 yards of offense.

Early on, the Yellow Jackets muffed a punt that set up Clemson near its goal line for its first score. Swilling's pick set Tech up with a first-and-goal on the 3, but it could not score.

"We've just got learn to finish those things," Collins said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have some work to do to get all the option out of their system. Many of their offensive plays, especially in the first half, looked like the quarterback runs of former coach Paul Johnson.

Clemson: There were sloppy moments on both sides of the ball. But performers like Etienne, Lawrence and Higgins overshadowed any problems the Tigers might have.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Clemson came out fast and never let up. Expect the Tigers to remain No. 1, no matter how many points No. 2 Alabama or No. 3 Georgia hang on opponents this weekend.

TEACHING TIME

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was grateful for the win - and grateful he and his coaches will have their players' attention after some sloppy mistakes. Swinney said there were plenty of errors on all sides of the ball that will have to get fixed before No. 12 Texas A&M comes to Death Valley in 10 days. "We can give them some truth," Swinney said. "They have to receive the truth and we've got to get better."

TURNOVER TIME

Clemson's defense picked up four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions, in the first game without eight starters off last year's national championship team - including its starting line of Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant and All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins. The new unit also had two fourth-down stops in the opening half.

"I think we showed them a little something," said Clemson defensive back Denzel Johnson, who had one of the team's two interceptions.

UP NEXT

Georgia Tech hosts South Florida on Sept. 7.

Clemson remains at home to face No. 12 Texas A&M on Sept. 7.

---

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Passing

GATec Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
J. Graham 7 4 57.1 1 72 34 0 132.1
L. Johnson 2 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 39.6
Clem Att Cmp % TD-Pa Yds-Pa LgPa Int Rat
T. Lawrence 23 13 56.5 1 168 62 2 57.9
C. Brice 7 5 71.4 1 53 21 0 132.7

Rushing

GATec Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
J. Mason 13 72 5.5 14 1
J. Graham 4 15 3.8 10 0
Clem Att Yds-Ru Avg LgRu TDRu
T. Etienne 12 205 17.1 90 3
L. Dixon 8 64 8.0 18 1

Receiving

GATec Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
J. Blancato 1 34 34.0 34 0
A. Brown 1 28 28.0 28 1
Clem Rec Yds-Rc Avg LgRc TD-Rc
T. Higgins 4 98 24.5 62 1
L. Dixon 1 22 22.0 22 0

Fumbles

Clem F FL
T. Etienne 1 1

Returning

GATec KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
A. Brown 2 13.0 0 16 0 0 0
J. Thomas 1 14.0 0 14 1 0.0 0 0
Clem KR Avg KRTD LgKR PR Avg TD LgPR
J. Ngata 2 25.0 0 32 0 0 0
L. Dixon 1 8.0 0 8 0 0 0

Punting

GATec Punt Yds Avg LgPu
P. Harvin III 8 345 43.1 51
Clem Punt Yds Avg LgPu
W. Spiers 3 120 40.0 43

Takeaways

GATec Int Yds InTD
T. Swilling 1 41 0
K. Oliver 1 -2 0
Clem Int Yds InTD
T. Muse 1 13 0
D. Johnson 1 6 0

Team Stats Comparison

GATec Clem
Points For 14 52
Total Yards 294 632
Rushing Yards 157 411
Passing Yards 137 221
Passing Completions / Attempts 7/18 18/30
Turnovers 4 3
Interceptions Thrown 2 2
Fumbles - Lost 3/2 1/1
First Downs 13 29
Penalties - Yards 2/10 6/43
Time Of Possession 12:12 48:48
Third Down Conversions/Attempts 5/16 6/12
Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts 0/2 1/2
Punts - Average Yards 8/43 3/40

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter GATec Clem
Clem 03:08 TD Trevor Lawrence 6 yd run (B.T. Potter kick) 0 7
Clem 09:21 TD Travis Etienne 90 yd run (B.T. Potter kick) 0 14
2nd Quarter GATec Clem
Clem 02:15 TD Travis Etienne 14 yd run (B.T. Potter kick) 0 21
Clem 10:26 TD Tee Higgins 62 yd pass from Trevor Lawrence (B.T. Potter kick) 0 28
3rd Quarter GATec Clem
Clem 02:18 TD Travis Etienne 48 yd run (B.T. Potter kick) 0 35
GATec 03:20 TD Jordan Mason 7 yd run (Wesley Wells kick) 7 35
Clem 06:52 TD Lyn-J Dixon 18 yd run (B.T. Potter kick) 7 42
4th Quarter GATec Clem
Clem 00:06 TD Frank Ladson Jr. 21 yd pass from Chase Brice (B.T. Potter kick) 7 49
GATec 04:27 TD Ahmarean Brown 28 yd pass from James Graham (Wesley Wells kick) 14 49
Clem 08:49 FG B.T. Potter 51 yd FG 14 52

Game Information

Stadium: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina
Attendance: 79,118
Game Time:
Weather: