Georgia Tech vs Clemson: Staff Predictions for Saturday's Game

The staff here at Georgia Tech On SI gives you their picks for who will win the big game on Saturday?

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Bailey Stockton (7) carries the ball in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

One of the biggest Georgia Tech games in recent memory is less than 24 hours away.

While the Yellow Jackets have played in big games under Brent Key, this one carries a significant amount of weight. Georgia Tech has not beaten Clemson since 2014 and a win here would vault Brent Key's team into official contender status in the ACC and for the College Football Playoff. It feels like Key has been building his program up over the past couple of seasons for a moment like this and a win would be monumental.

Can they get it done, though? Clemson comes into this game 1-1, and the vibes around the team have seemingly shifted. After being the runaway preseason favorite in the ACC and starting the year No. 4, the Tigers dropped a close 17-10 game to LSU in week 1, and then after falling behind 16-0 against Troy, they clawed back to win 27-16. It has been a tough start to the year offensively, and Clemson needs a win in this game to silence some of the doubt about them.

Here are the predictions from the staff here at Georgia Tech On SI:

Jackson Caudell (Publisher, 2-0 record)- Georgia Tech 24, Clemson 20

Najeh Wilkins (Writer, 2-0 record)- Georgia Tech 27, Clemson 24

Arvon Bacon (Writer, 1-1 record)- Georgia Tech 24, Clemson 13

Big Rivalry Game

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) celebrates his touchdown carry with offensive lineman Harrison Moore (52) in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech has had a long-standing rivalry with the Tigers, but over the last decade, it has tilted heavily in favor of Clemson. In today's press conference, Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key said that it is up to his program to make sure that it is a rivalry and that games can't be considered rivalries if they are just one-sided:

" A lot of great memories. Yes this is a rivalry. This is one of the most natural rivalry, rivalries in this league with being in two separate states, you know it's the proximity, it's the types of ball games that have been played over those 40 years, but the rivalry needs to be just that, a rivalry, and that's on us to put the game back in the right balance. It's not a rivalry if it's one-sided completely, so it's on us to be able to go out and compete and make these games what they should be, and I believe Saturday will be a really good football game. We know we can't control outcomes, these things, But we can control what we put into it and you know everything you know the support from the fans and student body. They come in and help be a part of this and help make this a true home-field advantage."

Key also has previous matchups against Clemson from his days as Alabama's offensive line coach from 2016-2018:

"The cool thing about him (Dabo Swinney) is he's the same person all the time. He believes in his plan, his process, he sticks with it. Yeah, like everybody, you adapt things each they're consistent, they're consistent and you know what you're gonna get, you're gonna get a disciplined team, they're gonna play hard, they play four quarters. We've been in games, I mean literally, one of those games we're talking about there, literally we lost the last play of the game down in Tampa, and you know, there's been a lot of those that are back and forth, back and forth, and it's hard to sustain success. That's one of the hardest things in the world, and you know, to see 17 years of him there, and not to mention the fact that he got the head job at Clemson, very similar to, you know, very, very similar paths, he's someone that even before knowing him that I've looked for and I know that he's going through a lot of things that recently in the last couple years that I've gone through and It's kind of funny. It was two years ago. We played up there pre -game, we're out on the field before the game they said yeah, he said you're kind of halfway, you know through your first year. everybody thinks it's your second, right? I'm like, go yeah they do."

Georgia Tech will look to get its first win over Clemson since 2014 this Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET (ESPN).