Instant Takeaways From Georgia Tech's 20-6 Upset Win Over Clemson

Georgia Tech entered today with a four-game losing streak, but they knock off their arch rival in a dominant defensive showing and a rushing attack that couldn’t be stopped. It was dominance from start to finish. The Yellow Jackets get their first win at Clemson Memorial Stadium since 2008. Let’s take a look at some major takeaways from the win on Saturday.

1. Georgia Tech gets back to its identity

Offensive coordinator George Godsey put together a good game plan. He used Grady Adamson and Alberto Mendoza to a T, and it led to a lot of success for the Yellow Jackets. The running game is where it was most visible. The Yellow Jackets carved up Clemson's top-40 run defense for 200 yards on the ground. Justice Haynes led the way with nine carries for 95 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown. Adamson provided the perfect balance with 87 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Adamson kept the defense honest and brought the physicality we were used to seeing in 2025 with Haynes King.

2. Tait Reynolds injury had a major impact

On the first drive of the game, Clemson was able to get some big gains vs. the Yellow Jackets. Then Reynolds went down and everything changed. Clemson went to Trent Pearman, and he looked erratic at best. He missed a number of throws and was yanked quickly. Dabo Swinney turned to Christopher Vizzina, which gave them some momentum, but the struggles were still very apparent. Clemson struggled and was only able to produce six points

3. Cayman Spaulding balls out

In the first half, he led the Yellow Jackets with four tackles (three solo), one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. One of his best plays came on third and long, where he was 1 on 1 in the perimeter and made a tackle for loss to slow down a drive. He blitzed and made a major impact on defense for the Yellow Jackets. He also added a sack. Spaulding finished with 11 tackles, two TFLs, one sack, and a forced fumble. It was the most complete game we have seen from Spaulding. He is making a strong case for a player the Yellow Jackets should convince to come back and stay for 2027.

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4. Chris Corbo Steps Up

We talked about Chris Corbo as a player who had to step up after Kevin Roche Jr.'s injury. He did just that. He had a memorable play before the half with a 50-yard reception and broke free over the middle of the field. He got more targets and took full advantage. Corbo finished with two catches for 54 yards. When he was targeted, he was sure-handed and didn’t drop passes. He was a guy that you could lean on when it mattered.

5. Vinnie Sunseri calls a great game

Say what you want about Tait Reynolds being out early, but the Yellow Jackets' defense looked different in the game vs. Clemson. They were faster, tackled better, and made plays in coverage. Things looked simpler, and you could tell by how fast they moved to the ball. The difference was the Yellow Jackets' run defense in this game. They held Clemson to just 1.6 yards per carry in the first half. Overall, just 86 yards on the ground. The Yellow Jackets defense also forced three sacks on defense and really ruffled the Tigers offense on Saturday.

6. Three Major Game Balls on Defense for the Yellow Jackets

Tawfiq Thomas gets a major game ball for shutting down the interior and preventing big plays in the run game. He was a big reason the Clemson rushing attack was shut down. He finished with six tackles and a tackle for loss on Saturday. He got back to his old self and the dominance he showed early in the season before his injury. Jonas Duclona has put together at least four solid games on the year. On Saturday, he did it again with his play in coverage.

He finished with five tackles and two pass breakups. When he has played this season, he has been solid and made a number of plays. Daiquan White was back and made a major impact in coverage for the Yellow Jackets. With injuries mounting and several guys out, he was great on Saturday and kept forcing incompletions. He had multiple pass breakups on the day. For those who ask about Spaulding, he got his own paragraph on how he performed.

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