Clemson Gameday Photos - Clemson vs. Georgia Tech

Whew...what a game! It was a nail biter until the very end, but Clemson pulled out the win beating GT 47 to 31. And to add icing to the cake, Florida State had a huge upset on Saturday, getting beat by NC State...opening a door for Clemson to repeat the ACC title.

Our gameday photographer volunteers caught some great tailgating moments, gameday outfits and game action in their photos from Saturday. We also got a few photos shared with us by you, our readers. Do you have photos from Saturday's game you want to share in this album? Email them to us at clemsongirlblog@gmail.com.


Check out our gameday photos below or view all of the photos on our Flickr site.

Gameday Prediction - Clemson vs. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has been a thorn in Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney’s side since he became head coach.

Swinney has won just one game in five tries, but his Clemson Tigers have a new mindset and toughness about them, as well as boasting the nation’s fifth-longest active home win streak.

Can Swinney and the Tigers reverse their fortunes against a struggling Yellow Jackets squad?

GEORGIA TECH AT NO. 15 CLEMSON

WHY GEORGIA TECH MIGHT WIN
Paul Johnson’s Yellow Jackets are off to a less than stellar start at 2-3 after losing the last two to Miami in an overtime thriller and Middle Tennessee State in a blowout. Johnson has questioned his team’s manhood and challenged them to step up on both sides of the ball. Last season, the Tigers and Jackets squared off after Tech lost its previous two games. Clemson will always get Georgia Tech’s A-game and best shot because let’s face it- the two teams aren’t very fond of one another.

Tech is led by second-year starting quarterback Tevin Washington, who leads the ACC in touchdowns scored with 11. Washington is very capable of running the triple-option offense and has even scattered in a few nice throws this season. He is becoming a better-rounded quarterback which could be scary for Clemson’s defense.

The Jackets also have running back Orwin Smith, who has rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns. The Tech defense has been a concern as of late, giving up over 500 yards of total offense and 91 points over the last two games. However, the Jackets have had key injuries to outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu and cornerback Louis Young, who are both expected to return this week. And, defensive coordinator Al Groh had a lot of success against Clemson last season dropping eight into coverage and pressuring Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd.

WHY CLEMSON MIGHT WIN
Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris has the Clemson offense clicking on all cylinders through the first five weeks of the season. Coming into the season, all eyes were on wide receiver Sammy Watkins, but Watkins’ absence in three games has forced other playmakers to step up. Most notably, Nuk Hopkins, Jaron Brown, and Brandon Ford have stepped up their games and proven that this offense doesn’t revolve around Watkins. Andre Ellington is healthy for the first time in his Clemson career, which has paid dividends for the Tigers. Ellington has had three career games so far this season- two rushing career highs and on career high in receiving yards.

The Tigers are going to score and score a lot. The key to this game will be the Clemson defense. Can the Tiger defense do their jobs and stick to their assignments? The matchup that needs to be watched closest will be Clemson’s defensive line versus Tech’s offensive line. Clemson defenders need to get off their blocks and use good technique to avoid the cut block on the inside. After shedding the blockers, just hit somebody. Whoever has Washington, hit him on every play. Whoever has Smith, hit him. Just hit somebody. The Jackets are going to get their yards and they are going to score, but the key- as is every week- is not giving up the big play. The defensive line and linebackers must contain Washington on every play and the secondary can’t get lulled to sleep by long stints of running plays because eventually Johnson will dial up a pass.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN
Twelve of the last 17 games have been decide by five points or less, making the series one of the most competitive in the country; however, this one won’t be as close. Points will be scored by both teams, but the key will be for the Tigers to get points on every possession, and based on Tech’s defensive performance this year that is very possible. This game will be close heading into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers offense will just be too much for a Georgia Tech defense that lacks depth.

FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON, 42- GEORGIA TECH, 27

Post written by Clemson Girl's Sports Bloggess, Nikki Steele.

Tigers ready to take on the Georgia Tech demon. Clemson vs. GT game prediction.

Clemson has exercised many demons in 2011, but can they do it again in Atlanta? At night? On Homecoming?

The Tigers have fended off evil after evil, starting in early September against the reigning national champion Auburn Tigers, beating them in a sold-out Death Valley. Next was the over-hyped Florida State Seminoles and again the Tigers emerged victorious. After going 1-4 on the road in 2010, Clemson took on the fiend that was Virginia Tech and the night game in Lane Stadium. The result - a 23-3 romp of the Hokies. Clemson then returned home to face the always difficult Boston College Eagles and the Tigers continued to take care of business. A week later, Clemson traveled to Maryland and forced the spirit out of Byrd Stadium scoring 35 second half points.

Fast forward to Saturday and the Tigers travel to Atlanta - a place Clemson hasn’t won a game since 2001 - and the Tigers look to tackle the pesky Yellow Jackets to improve to 9-0 and essentially ruin Georgia Tech’s Coastal Division hopes.

I’m sure Tech head coach Paul Johnson has a few treats in store for Dabo Swinney’s team, but let’s take a look at how the two teams match up.

GEORGIA TECH OFFENSE VS CLEMSON DEFENSE
Georgia Tech’s offense put up Playstation-type numbers at the beginning of the season and looked like they could run the table and eventually contend for an ACC Championship, but let’s face it, those numbers have decreased since the Jackets have started playing a slightly more difficult schedule. Tech had 662 yards against Western Carolina, 596 against MTSU, 768 against Kansas and 496 against UNC. Once they got into the meat of their ACC schedule...against N.C. State, they had 413, then 386 against Maryland, 296 against Virginia and just 211 last week against Miami.

Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington began the season looking like he was a huge upgrade from last year’s quarterback Joshua Nesbitt, but he has been struggling as of late completing just 48 percent of his passes on the year. He is 45-for-93 for 1139 yards, ten touchdowns and five interceptions. He is, however, their third leading rusher with 460 yards and nine touchdowns. Paul Johnson’s triple-option attack requires opposing defenses to play very disciplined and do their assignments in order to not give up the big play.

Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will depend heavily on his defensive line and linebackers to contain the Georgia Tech running backs and tackle cleanly - both of which Clemson’s defense has had issues with the last couple of weeks. The Clemson secondary will have to stay awake and alert because after Tech runs the ball repeatedly and they think they have the defense sleeping they will hit the long pass to receiver Stephen Hill for a touchdown.

Rashard Hall, Xavier Brewer and company will need to not let their eyes peek into the backfield and just play their man. Clemson proved last year that they can shut down the triple option, but can they do it in Atlanta on national television? ADVANTAGE - SLIGHT GEORGIA TECH

CLEMSON OFFENSE VS GEORGIA TECH DEFENSE
Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh has a much improved defense and his squad is ranked eighth nationally against the pass and 33rd in total defense, but again the question becomes what high octane offenses have they really faced. All of their opponents, except Middle Tennessee State (20th), have been ranked 50th or lower in total offense. Georgia Tech usually employs a 3-4 defense (three defensive linemen and four linebackers), but this will be a new challenge for Groh trying to decide which weapons he needs to focus on - Sammy Watkins, Nuk Hopkins, Dwayne Allen, Jaron Brown, Martavis Bryant, or Brandon Ford?

Clemson running back Andre Ellington won’t start this weekend because of an ankle injury, but don’t expect any drop off at the running back position as redshirt freshman D.J. Howard is third on the team with 167 yards, but is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Freshman Mike Bellamy should also see plenty of playing time and as we saw against Virginia Tech he can make even the best defenses look silly with just one carry.

Clemson will need to come out and do what Clemson does - run the football effectively and give quarterback Tajh Boyd time to warm up and get his game going because as we’ve seen, once that happens it’s usually game over for opposing defenses. ADVANTAGE - CLEMSON

SPECIAL TEAMS
Clemson’s special teams seem to have finally found their groove - minus the UNC kickoff return for a touchdown last week. Kicker Chandler Catanzaro is cruising along making 13-of-16 field goals and has been very consistent on extra points. Punter Dawson Zimmerman has been a game changer as expected averaging 42.7 yards per punt this season. And, welcome to the return game Sammy Watkins, who has now shown that he is a threat to take it back just like his predecessor C.J. Spiller.

As for the Jackets…well, they have been not so special in this category. Kicker Justin Moore is just 4-for-8 on field goals and punter Zach Laskey is averaging just 37 yards per punt (with a 17 yard punt last week). ADVANTAGE - CLEMSON

BOTTOM LINE

The 14 of the last 16 meetings between the Tigers and the Yellow Jackets have been decided by an average of 4.6 points, and the Tigers haven’t won in Atlanta since 2001. But, the upper classmen on this team who were around in 2009 when Clemson lost two heartbreakers to Georgia Tech still remember that gut-wrenching feeling of losing on a last minute field goal in the regular season and not making one stop in the ACC Championship Game. They will be ready for the task of stopping the pesky bees and continuing down the road to their next goal - winning the Atlantic. If not for phantom holding calls against the Tigers, Clemson will keep the streak alive.

FINAL SCORE: CLEMSON 35, GEORGIA TECH 17

Post written by Clemson Girl sports blogger, Nikki Steele.

Share

Caroline's Tiger Pause - All in.. All purple..Preview of tonight's Clemson vs. GT game

Image Credit: Tigernet.com

284, 257, 280, 304, 274--these are the numbers that are going to determine the outcome of tonight's game. Those numbers are the weight of Georgia Tech's offensive line-the smallest in the ACC. And they have to go against our defensive line-a line that is the best in the ACC, in the tops of the nation, and 8 deep. Another number to look at is 3-as in 3 lost starters on Tech's Defensive Line. Clemson is going to control the line of scrimmage and they are going to win this game.

All of the talk and attention for this game will be on Spiller and Dwyer-many in the media are already pitching it as the two best running backs in nation going against one another. At the very least it seems highly likely that one of them is going to be the ACC Player of the year. And I think both will bring it tonight. I think Dwyer will have a good game, and I think CJ is going to have a really special game. I think this is the game where you really see CJ assert himself as both a feature back and a senior leader of this team. I also think that Harper and Ellington will have important minutes in this game, and that is a must. Clemson must assert the running game as the rest of the offense is still working the kinks out. A great running attack would take a tremendous amount of pressure off of Kyle Parker's shoulders. He is incredibly talented, but he is still a freshman playing his first big conference game and his first game in a hostile environment. The running game needs to be there.

Kevin Steele has been breaking down tape on Tech since February. And last week's game did not show Georgia Tech a thing. Dabo admitted that they purposefully played pretty vanilla as a team-they did not want to show anything unless they had to. He also admitted they have been practicing for GT all spring and summer. We are extremely prepared going into this game, but Georgia Tech still really does not know what we are going to look like, particularly defensively. We have a new coordinator and a new scheme, but we really did not show anything against Middle Tennessee because their offense is completely different from anyone else we will play all year. Last week we could only play one linebacker, this week Butkus award candidate Kavell Conner finally gets to step on the field and I think he is going to be nasty. I think the defense as a whole is going to be nasty, and they need to be. Our offense is still learning the ropes and the defense needs to set the tone. Also, Paul Johnson has said they will kick to Spiller and Ford, and we need to take advantage. Special teams needs to give the Tiger offense a short field to work with.

And make no mistake, Georgia Tech is a really good team. They are ranked for a reason. Tech has a great QB in Nesbitt; he has great feet and is not called upon to throw often but has a great arm when he does. Dwyer and Thomas are among the best in the conference at RB and WR. Dwyer is the reigning conference player of the year. And even though I do think Clemson will dominate the line of scrimmage Tech does have a really good offensive and defensive line. And you have to worry about their offensive line because they love to cut block and last year I even thought I saw a few chop blocks in our game though the ACC refs chose to ignore it. This can make our defensive stars knees pretty vulnerable-luckily we have been practicing for that too. I know everyone is picking Clemson to lose, but that is actually one of my favorite things about this game. Clemson always plays a little better with a chip on their shoulder. I actually have been saying since last year that this is one of the main games that I am not worried about. These players want to beat Tech, and bad. This has been a game circled on every player's calender.

And lastly, I do not drink the Paul Johnson kool aid. I just do not have the love affair that the media seems to have with him. I think that he is an excellent coach, but I am still skeptical if his triple option offensive scheme can really work year in and year out in big conference play. The reason it was so effective at Navy is the big teams they played every year were in the middle of conference play and could only devote so much time to an offense they would only see once from a team they should beat. LSU showed what can happen with a little preparation. And Georgia Tech's offensive numbers were not as strong as the previous year under Chan Gailey. I love the option, but you have to mix it up a bit.

The most dangerous part of his offense is it can lull a defense to sleep in the sense that after so many running plays in a row, the pass becomes a trick play. One you are not expecting. The Clemson secondary is going to have to be on high alert to not give up the big pass play. That is really how Georgia Tech beats you-that is how they beat us last year. I think everyone remembers the game winning TD in the waning minutes of last year's game-a 23 yarder from Nesbitt to Deamariyus Thomas. But I keep going back to the fact that we made major mistakes in last year's game (6 turnovers!), that CJ Spiller did not play in last year's game due to injury, and we were coming off of one of the most emotional times in any Clemson football team's history with the resignation of Bowden and the hiring of Swinney, and yet we still almost won that game. And the reason we almost won was through all of the mistakes we made in the game, all of the drama that led up to the game, we were still the better team. And we are the better team tonight. I think Dabo is all about winning the games we should win, and no matter what the media says we should win tonight.

In the last 13 games between Tech and Clemson, the winner has been decided by 5 points or less 10 times. I could see that happening and I would be thrilled with a 1 point win in double overtime. But I think Clemson wins by double digits-I think that Georgia Tech thinks that there is no way they can lose, I think Clemson dominates the line of scrimmage tonight, I think the defense as a whole is just too much, I think we are an angry team out to prove a point, and I think CJ Spiller wants to prove he should be ACC Player of the year! I can not wait for this game-Go Tigers!

Share on Facebook