Ups and Downs: Clemson Uses Strong Second Half to Pull Away From Georgia Tech

Clemson knocks off Georgia Tech 41-10 in the Tigers season opener.

ATLANTA, GA- After a sluggish first half in Atlanta, No. 4 Clemson pulled away from Georgia Tech with a strong second-half performance, winning 41-10 over the Yellow Jackets.

There were some ups and some downs, seeing as it was an opener, but overall there was more good than bad.

Ups

DJ Uiagalelei: After a shaky start, that included a mishandled snap and a fumble in the first quarter, Uiagalelei settled in and turned in a solid performance, hitting on 60% of his passes and showing better decision-making skills than he did at times a season ago. And did so without getting great protection from his offensive line. While it certainly wasn't perfect, it was a step in the right direction.

Defense: Wes Goodwin's unit held Georgia Tech to well under 300 yards of offense. Outside of having a little success on some screens, the Tigers mostly kept the Yellow Jackets bottled up. K.J. Henry was dominant. Barrett Carter was making plays all over the field. And the defense did it without relying too heavily on the blitz. Also, Georgia Tech was just 2-16 on 3rd down.

Special Teams: Clemson blocked two punts in the game. Carson Connelly blocked one early in the second quarter, leading to the Tigers' first touchdown of the game, and freshman Wade Woodaz blocked one midway through the fourth, setting up Clemson deep in Tech territory. Four plays later, Will Shipley would score from three yards out to put the Tigers up 34-10.

Punting: After hearing mixed reviews leading up to the season, the Clemson punting game was superb on Monday night. Aiden Swanson was consistent, averaging more than 42 yards on six attempts, with a long of 51. 

Downs

Offensive Line: Make no mistake, this group is still a work in progress. After being raved about in fall camp, freshman Blake Miller had a rough debut in Atlanta. However, it wasn't just him, as Uiagalelei was routinely rushed in the pocket and the backs had to fight for yards on the ground. Fortunately, the Tigers have upcoming games against Furman and La Tech before having to go back on the road and face Wake Forest. There is still time to get things sorted out.

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