Georgia Tech snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday with a 20-6 upset win at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, days after Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key fired multiple assistants in a staff shake-up.
Clemson managed just 228 total yards in the loss. The game also left the Tigers banged up at quarterback: starter Tait Reynolds left early with a leg injury, and backup Christopher Vizzina, who threw for 133 yards and an interception in relief, went to the hospital after the game with his own injury.
Georgia Tech rushed for 269 yards and two touchdowns, exposing a Clemson defense that struggled to contain the run.
“It’s difficult, but ain’t nobody coming to save us, nobody cares, we’ve got to find a way to get it done,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.
The defeat further damages Clemson’s hopes of reaching the ACC Championship game and continues a troubling home trend: the Tigers have now lost nine of their last 11 home games against Power Four opponents, a steep fall from the program’s school-record 40 consecutive home wins at Memorial Stadium from 2016 through 2022.
“It’s frustrating; we’ve not played well (at home) coming off two really good wins,” Swinney said. “Really expected us to play great today. Great week of practice, but again, it didn’t go our way. It’s frustrating, but we don’t make any excuses. We’re not blaming it on injuries. We didn’t get it done. It’s my job.”
Swinney also pointed to the broader breakdown on both sides of the ball.
“When you can’t stop the run, you don’t deserve to win,” Swinney said. “But you got to score enough points. We’re not doing enough on offense. You don’t win the line of scrimmage, you don’t deserve to win; they did, give them credit.”
The loss comes amid growing scrutiny of Swinney’s future at Clemson. A season-opening blowout loss at LSU already had fans and observers questioning his job security, and his projected 7-6 finish in 2025 would be his worst record since 2010.
Swinney is owed $60 million beginning in 2027 under his current contract, but a declining buyout schedule means Clemson would owe him $57 million if he were fired this fall. The contract contains no mitigation clause, so Clemson would not receive any reduction in that payout even if Swinney took another coaching job.
Clemson closes out its ACC regular-season schedule next Friday against Duke. Georgia Tech hosts Wake Forest next week in Atlanta.
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