Georgia Tech stuns No. 12 Clemson on last-second field goal
ATLANTA, Ga. — Clemson’s defense held its ground for much of the day Saturday, but when it mattered most, it broke just enough for Georgia Tech to steal the game. A 55-yard field goal as time expired handed the Yellow Jackets a 24-21 upset and left the No. 12-ranked Tigers searching for answers three weeks into the season.
The loss drops Clemson to 1-2, a stunning turn for a team once projected as a national title contender.
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Out-gaining Georgia Tech (3-0) 381–358 and winning the line of scrimmage in several metrics didn’t matter when critical mistakes piled up.
The most glaring miscue came in the red zone. Cade Klubnik drove the Tigers inside the Georgia Tech 10 early in the third quarter, only to force a slant into coverage that was picked off and returned near midfield.
That miscue flipped momentum just as Clemson looked ready to seize control.
Turnovers were the theme for Klubnik. He finished 15-of-26 for 206 yards and a touchdown, but an interception and a fumble—both in key spots—weighed heavier than the positives.
His inconsistency remains the biggest obstacle for an offense that continues to sputter out of the gate.
Still, there were sparks. Adam Randall turned what looked like a give-up draw on 3rd-and-22 into a first down, a jolt that finally opened running lanes for an offense desperate for rhythm.
And Bryant Wesco broke free for a 73-yard touchdown reception, the kind of explosive play Clemson has lacked. But too often, promising drives stalled. The Tigers went three-and-out on the next two possessions.
Georgia Tech finally broke through for their first score of the second half with a bruising 90-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that pushed Clemson’s defense backward. The Tigers answered with a touchdown of their own, but it left too much time on the clock for the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King was the difference-maker. He accounted for 312 of the Jackets’ 358 total yards, including 101 on the ground.
His ability to extend plays with his legs kept Clemson’s defense on its heels, and he delivered just enough through the air to keep drives alive.
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Statistically, Clemson controlled much of the game. The Tigers outgained Tech, forced negative plays and limited mistakes up front. Clemson rushed for 174 yards to Tech’s 142.
But the inability to finish in the red zone, coupled with lapses at critical junctures, told the real story.
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For Dabo Swinney’s team, the margin for error is now razor thin. The playoff conversation has effectively slipped away.
The Tigers will try to regroup at home next Saturday against Syracuse, but the early-season stumble has already shifted the trajectory of a season once thought to hold national promise.
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