Way Too Early Georgia Tech Football Game Preview: Week Three vs Clemson

Nov 11, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) sacks Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is getting closer and closer and it is time to start looking at Georgia Tech's 12 opponents for the seaosn.

After back-to-back seven-win seasons, it seems like Brent Key's program might be ready to break through in a bigger way. Since taking over as the head coach, Key has put together two impressive seasons of wins over ranked teams and has added more talent to the roster. With enough returning experience, coaching stability on the offensive side of the ball, a talented transfer portal and high school recruiting classes, and a favorable schedule, some are projecting Georgia Tech to be among the ACC's top teams.

After facing Colorado in week one, Georgia Tech begins a three-game home stretch with Gardner-Webb, and then they have one of their biggest games of the season in week three. The Yellow Jackets welcome Clemson to Atlanta for both teams' ACC opener, and the Tigers are going to begin the year as a preseason top-five team. Will they be a top-five team when they get to Atlanta? Clemson has a home opener against LSU to begin the season, but they will still enter this game against Georgia Tech as the ACC favorite.

If Brent Key has shown one thing while being the head coach at Georgia Tech, he can win big games against ranked teams. Will he have another upset up his sleeve when the Tigers come to town? If so, given the rest of Georgia Tech's schedule, the Yellow Jackets would become a favorite to reach the ACC Championship.

Georgia Tech's Offense vs Clemson's Defense

Georgia Tech's offense has some new pieces, but they return plenty of experience at the most important positions. Buster Faulkner is back to call plays and run the offense for a third season and he will try to get Georgia Tech to take another step in 2025.

Most importantly, Haynes King is back under center for Georgia Tech. King battled injuries last season, but he was able to improve his efficiency and cut down on the turnovers. He threw for over 2,100 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also cutting his interceptions from 16 to just two. Is there another step for King this season? If so, this Georgia Tech offense should remain one of the ACC's most dynamic. King also ran for nearly 600 yards last season to go along with 11 rushing touchdowns. He is a true dual-threat quarterback, and the Yellow Jackets will look to use his legs against what should be a very aggressive Clemson defense.

Jamal Haynes has led the Yellow Jackets in rushing each of the last two seasons, and he finished last season with 944 yards, despite being injured for some of the season. He has the talent to be one of, if not the best, running back in the ACC when healthy, and Haynes can score from anywhere on the field. He is the No. 1 back heading into the season.

This could be a really deep running back room for the Yellow Jackets this season.

Earlier in the spring, Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner was discussing the depth of the position and how much he loved what they had in the room, even behind Haynes:

"Well I think this is the deepest we've been, since we've been here in the running back room. Extremely, probably the most fired up. Obviously, Norv's done a great job of going out recruiting. Again, recruiting the right kind of guys, getting those guys in here. I think he's one of the best teachers of the running back position in the country, if not the best. And we're lucky to have him, but back to the room. Malachi's shown a lot of promise the last two days. Tralain, he's a guy we think that can be a completely different dimension than what we've had. We just got to get him over the hump mentally. And the other guy is Daylon Gordon, right? No one wants to ever talk about him. But every time he carries the ball for us in practice, he gains yards. So he's a guy that we're excited about. JP Powell is a freshman, still learning the offense. He's showing signs all off season to be extremely explosive. And again, I think we're really deep there. Anthony Carrie played a little bit for us last year. So we're excited about the whole room. And there's a lot of competition going on in there. And I think it's going to be really good for Jamal. Allow him to do some other stuff this spring. Get those guys some reps using Jamal in a different way. Because Jamal is extremely versatile. So we're always trying to find the most of players we can to get on the field and if it's more two -back this year it's more two -back."

Look for Penn transfer Malachi Hosley, Chad Alexander, and Trelain Maddox to be factors in the backfield.

The wide receivers for Georgia Tech are going to look a little different, but the talent is there. Malik Rutherford is back, FIU transfers Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson will look to replace some of the lost production, while young players Isiah Canion, Bailey Stockton, and Zion Taylor will provide depth. Bowling Green transfer Rahkeem Smith is also a name to know, including on special teams. Rivers has been hailed as an instant impact player by a number of national outlets this fall.

Rivers, a graduate transfer from Florida International, caught 62 passes for 1,162 yards (18.9 avg.) and 12 touchdowns as a redshirt junior at FIU last season. He became the first Associated Press all-American in FIU history when he received third-team recognition in 2024, and was also a first-team all-Conference USA honoree.

The tight end position is going to see a number of changes. Cal transfer J.T. Byrne is hoping to fill in the role left by Jackson Hawes, who is now in the NFL, while Brett Seither is back for a final season after being injured all of last season. Luke Harpring is a name to watch for as well.

The offensive line brings back one of the top guard duos in the ACC with Keylan Rutledge and Joe Fusile, but they will have new starters elsewhere. Ethan Mackenny should take over at left tackle, Harrison Moore at center, and possibly South Alabama transfer Malachi Carney at right tackle. Clemson has two projected first-round picks on its defensive line and this will be one of the toughest challenges that the Yellow Jackets' O-Line faces the entire season.

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) runs by Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods (11) for a touchdown during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 4, 2023. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Clemson's defense had dropped off a little big over the past couple of seasons since Brent Venables left for Oklahoma, but after hiring Tom Allen away from Penn State, this unit is looking to return to be among the best in the nation.

The defensive line is headlined by projected first round picks Peter Woods and T.J. Parker. Parker had 11 sacks last season and Woods had 3, but they are as disruptive as they come. This is going to be quite a challenge for the Georgia Tech offensive line and Brent Key and Geep Wade will need to have this unit ready for the challenges the Tigers pose. Keep an eye on Purdue transfer Will Heldt. Everyone knows about Dabo Swinney and the transfers portal, so it should say a lot that he brought on Heldt to his program. This is as good of a defensive line that Georgia Tech will see this season.

The linebacker group is losing Barrett Carter to the NFL, but they return plenty of talent. Wade Woodaz was tied for the team lead in tackles (82) and also had three sacks. Rising Sophomore Sammy Brown had 80 tackles and five sacks for the Tigers last season and is just scratching the surface of his potential.

The secondary is opportunistic and has a first-round talent in cornerback Avieon Terrell. Terrell had two interceptions and 12 pass deflections for the Tigers last season. Ashton Hampton, Jeadyn Lucas, and Khalil Barnes headline what might be the ACC's best secondary. They combined for nine interceptions a season ago.

How Georgia Tech can block Clemson up front is going to be the key matchup here. Woods and Parker can wreck any game and force a quarterback to make poor decisions. Taking care of the ball and being able to run it will be the keys for Georgia Tech to win this game.

Clemson's offense vs Georgia Tech's Defense

The Tigers are poised to have one of the most explosive passing attacks in the country this season.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik is back for the Tigers and is going to be one of the leading Heisman candidates to start the season after throwing for over 3,600 yards and 36 touchdowns last season. Klubnik is also a more dangerous runner than given credit for (see last year's Pitt game) and he ran for nearly 500 yards to go along with seven touchdowns on the ground. Georgia Tech is going to have to get after Klubnik in this game and force him into poor decisions.

The wide receiver room for Clemson is one of the most talented in the country. Antonio Williams (75 catches, 904 yards), Bryant Wesco (41 catches for 708 yards), and T.J. Moore (45 catches for 651 yards) are as good a trio as you'll find, and the scary part for opposing defenses is that Wesco and Moore are just sophomores. How Clemson will replace tight end Jake Briningstool is the big question when it comes to the receiving options. Briningstool was one of the top-receiving tight ends in the country and was a safety blanket for Klubnik, as well as someone who could win one-on-one matchups.

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (12) against the Texas Longhorns during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Four of the five projected starters for Clemson on the offensive line are seniors, and this has a chance to be one of the best offensive lines the Tigers have had under Dabo Swinney.

The one potential weakness for the Tigers is the running game. Phil Mafah is no longer around and he was one of the most consistent running backs in the ACC. Who will lead the Clemson rushing attack this year?

Georgia Tech is going to look different on the defensive line. Jordan van den Berg is back in the middle, but the Yellow Jackets have questions at the edge spots. Transfers Brayden Manley (Mercer), AJ Hoffler (Clemson), and Ronald Triplette (UTSA) are vying for time along with young players Amontrae Bradford, Jordan Boyd, and true freshman Andre Fuller needing to step up. In the middle, UCF transfer Matthew Alexander, Akelo Stone, and freshmen Christian Garrett, Derry Norris and Blake Belin will be the names to know.

The linebacker group has plenty of experience and depth this season. Kyle Efford, E.J. Lightsey, Tah'j Butler and Jackson Hamilton are all back this year and Georgia Tech went into the transfer portal and got Melvin Jordan (Oregon State) and Cayman Spaulding (Tennessee Tech). Expect this group to rotate and stay fresh this season.

Georgia Tech's secondary is going to tested in this game. Ahmari Harvey is the top corner on the team once again, but who will be the starter across from him? Zachary Tobe, Kelvin Hill, Daiquan White and Penn State transfer Jon Mitchell will be in the mix there. Rodney Shelley is back at the nickel spot and Georgia State transfer Jyron Gilmore was brought in this offseason. The safety group is headlined by Clayton Powell-Lee and Omar Daniels, but four-star freshman Tae Harris seems likely to see time as well.

Overview:

This is going to be a massive test for Georgia Tech. Clemson is one of the most experienced and talented teams in the country and are the ACC favorite for a reason. Will Georgia Tech's defense be ready to face a passing attack like the one the Tigers have? Can Georgia Tech pressure Klubnik and force him into mistakes? That is going to be one of the keys to the game. If Georgia Tech can do that and are able to possess the ball and run it at will, they can win this game. Georgia Tech has not beaten Clemson since 2014, but they have them at home and are ready to pounce on the chance at an upset.