Clemson, Dabo Swinney roasted for lifeless first half vs. Georgia Tech
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Thirty minutes into its third game of the campaign, a season that began with immeasurable excitement is on life support.
Clemson lost at home to LSU in Week 1. The Tigers then struggled heavily with Troy at home in Week 2. Against Georgia Tech on the road on Saturday, the Tigers fell down 13-0 and went into the half trailing 13-7.
If there was a singular moment that summed up the first 2.5 games of the Clemson season, it came at the start of the second quarter. What we’ve said about Clemson — best team Dabo Swinney has had in years, lock to make the College Football Playoff, favorite in the ACC, etc. — has been divorced from the reality of what Clemson actually is. Swinney, speaking with ESPN’s sideline reporter, talked about the need for another goal line stand. Seconds later, Georgia Tech walked into the end zone untouched.
The Tigers turned Georgia Tech away without any points on the first possession of the game. A 12-play, 67-yard drive that took more than 5 minutes off the clock ended at the Clemson 4. A fourth-and-2 play from the 4 was blown up for a loss.
Georgia Tech scored on its next 3 drives.
Clemson, meanwhile, opened with a fumble on its first drive, a missed field goal on its second drive, and a 3-and-out on its third. Quarterback Cade Klubnik scored the Tigers’ first touchdown of the game on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 49 seconds to play in the half, but even that was a struggle. Clemson needed 3 plays from the 1 to break the Georgia Tech line.
As the two sides went to their respective locker rooms, social media tore into Swinney and the Tigers.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
