Clemson vs. Georgia Tech prediction: Who wins, and why?

What to watch for as Clemson and Georgia Tech meet in this ACC opener in college football’s Week 3 action on Saturday, with our updated prediction for the game.

Just two weeks into this season, Clemson is under considerable pressure.

Coming off the season-opening loss against ranked LSU, and then needing to mount a comeback from being down 16-0 against Troy in the follow up game, suddenly the preseason ACC championship favorites are in danger of falling under .500.

Now comes a serious road test against undefeated Georgia Tech, a team that has gained confidence under head coach Brent Key, albeit on a nine-game losing streak in this series, including eight of those games by at least two scores.

A win against the reigning ACC champion would be a huge boost for the Yellow Jackets, and extremely costly for Clemson.

What can we expect as the Tigers and Jackets meet in the ACC opener?

Here’s what you should watch for as Clemson and Georgia Tech meet in this Week 3 college football game, with our updated prediction for the matchup.

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech prediction: What to watch

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech football game prediction 2025 — Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

1. Tech’s newfound QB problem

Georgia Tech starting quarterback Haynes King had a great 2025 debut in the win at Colorado, but was unable to go against Gardner-Webb with a lower body injury.

He was able to return to practice this week, but in his place a week ago, Aaron Philo threw for 373 yards and 1 touchdown on 38 tries in a 59-12 victory.

How well King has recovered will be a major storyline for Georgia Tech. If he can’t play or is limited, whether Philo can build off his first start, limit big mistakes, and execute against Clemson’s defensive pressure up front will be key.

2. Battle at the line

Key to any upset for the Yellow Jackets will be their ability to successfully counter the ability of Clemson’s strong defensive front to get consistent pressure on the quarterback.

So far, Tech’s offensive line has played up to that demand, not allowing a sack so far this season and opening lanes on the ground for a backfield rotation that together is averaging a very impressive 7.2 yards per carry.

But it hasn’t faced anything like the firepower Clemson has on the opposing line, including inside tackler Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker.

We’ll see early on how well the Tigers’ rushers are able to clog up Tech’s running routes, generate consistent push against their blockers, and force the offense to be one dimensional.

If Tech’s line holds up, they’ll be able to sustain offensive drives and keep Klubnik and Clemson’s star receivers off the field. If they can’t, then the Tigers will be able to limit them to moderate gains and take control of the game’s momentum easily.

3. Will Clemson’s offense wake up?

Coming into the season, this was expected to be one of college football’s most dynamic units with Cade Klubnik coming off a career year throwing the ball, bringing back a crew of elite receiving talent, and anchored by one of the nation’s most experienced lines.

But Klubnik is hitting just 59 percent of his throws with 2 touchdowns and 3 picks and he won’t have wideout Antonio Williams or left tackle Tristan Leigh, both injured.

The quarterback didn’t do much in the loss to LSU and looked out of sorts early on against Troy, including a pick-six that put Clemson down 16 points early.

He responded well, finding Bryant Wesco for 2 touchdowns to lead the comeback, and how this game goes depends on his ability to build off that second half effort.

Adam Randall leads the way on the ground, but the backfield has averaged just 3 yards per attempt so far and will run into a Tech rush defense allowing 3.37 yards per touch.

Who is favored?

The sportsbooks are still naming the Tigers the favorite over the Yellow Jackets, but by a pretty narrow margin.

Clemson is the 3.5 point favorite against Georgia Tech, according to the updated game lines posted to FanDuel Sportsbook.

FanDuel lists the total at 51.5 points for the matchup.

And it set the moneyline odds for Clemson at -146 and for Georgia Tech at +122.

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech prediction: Who wins?

Philo is a decent backup for Georgia Tech if it comes to that, but any real chance of an upset depends on Haynes King being able to take the field fully healthy.

His quick release, mid-range accuracy, and crucially his deft running ability, are all an important advantage for the Jackets to credibly test Clemson’s front line defensive alignment.

This is the moment Clemson has to put the first two games behind them and change the narrative that this isn’t an overrated squad. The pieces are there to reinstate their claim as the class of the ACC, and we’ll give them one more chance to prove it.

College Football HQ picks...

Clemson wins 27-17
Covers the spread
And hits the under

More: Clemson vs. Georgia Tech score prediction by expert football model

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech schedule

When: Sat., Sept. 13
Where: Georgia Tech

Time: 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network