Greg McElroy takes Georgia Tech to upset Clemson at home

No. 12 Clemson and Georgia Tech open ACC play this weekend in Atlanta in a game that holds massive implications for December’s ACC Championship. It could also have an impact on this season’s College Football Playoff.

The Tigers are already playing behind the 8-ball, as they opened their season with a 17-10 loss to LSU at home. Georgia Tech, however, has opened the season strong with a 27-20 road victory over Colorado and a 59-12 tune-up win over Gardner-Webb. Starting quarterback Haynes King did not play in the Gardner-Webb game due to a lower-body injury, keeping him fresh for the Clemson matchup.

Ahead of the big game, ESPN‘s Greg McElroy made his prediction via the “Always College Football‘ podcast. McElroy is all in on Key’s Yellow Jackets landing the statement victory over the Tigers this weekend.

McElroy questions the struggling Clemson offense

“Can Clemson‘s offense find some rhythm?” McElroy asked. “If you look at Garrett Riley (the offensive coordinator), you know that it’s a variation of the air raid offense. It’s fairly simple but it hasn’t had a lot of an identity here through the first couple of weeks. They did make some nice tweaks against Troy and adjusted their run-scheme a little bit, which allowed Adam Randall (their converted wide receiver to running back) to be a little bit more effective. But, they’re gonna need to be a little bit better against a better defense this upcoming weekend.”

Clemson‘s offense has been extremely disappointing through two games, led by what many thought would be a potential Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Cade Klubnik. The senior signal caller has passed for just 426 yards (213 per game), two touchdowns and two interceptions. Overall, the offense is averaging just 288.5 yards per game (15th in ACC) and 18.5 points per game (14th in ACC).

“You also have sophomore receiver Bryant Wesco, who I think showed some massive progress in week two,” he continued. “But so far, Clemson is not holding the ball for very long. They’re 116th nationally in time of possession and held the ball for just 22 minutes and 50 seconds against LSU. That puts a lot of pressure on the defense, which has been on the field for a lot. If that group wears down against a very physical Georgia Tech team that wants to control the clock with their run game, that could be a fatal flaw.”

McElroy picks Georgia Tech to upset Clemson at home

Clemson has won nine consecutive meetings against Georgia Tech dating back to the 2015 season. A win for the Yellow Jackets this weekend would wipe away that stigma and propel them ahead of the Tigers in the ACC Power Rankings for the first time in a decade.

“Georgia Tech is 11-10 outright and 15-6 against the spread as an underdog under Brent Key,” McElroy said. “They are 3-1 outright and 4-0 against the spread as a home underdog under Key. This game is being played in Atlanta and while it feels so trendy, I’m taking Georgia Tech. I’m assuming Haynes King is healthy and I’m assuming their run game can control the clock. Right now, what I’ve seen from Clemson‘s offense is not inspiring. I think Georgia Tech wins this game this weekend in what should be a statement win and a landmark victory for Brent Key.”

Kick-off between No. 12 Clemson and Georgia Tech on Saturday is scheduled for 12:00 PM. The game can be seen on ESPN.