Week 5: Clemson at Georgia Tech

Clemson and Georgia Tech have the same record (24-18) in ACC play over the last six seasons, and nine of their last 11 meetings have been decided by five point or fewer. But the teams are headed in opposite directions entering Saturday’s game at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

The Tigers have posted three consecutive victories by at least 22 points, including a 42-20 win at N.C. State last week, while the Yellow Jackets have lost consecutive games to begin their ACC schedule. Georgia Tech has the benefit of playing on its home field, but the timing of this game couldn’t be much worse.

The Yellow Jackets are banged up and could be without three starters against the Tigers, who piled up 608 yards of total offense against the Wolfpack last week. Tailback Tashard Choice, outside linebacker Shane Bowen and safety Djay Jones all are questionable for Georgia Tech because of injuries.

While the Yellow Jackets could be without Choice, who carried just five times for 19 yards last week because of a right hamstring strain that he suffered against Boston College, Clemson’s tailbacks are ready to run. Junior James Davis, who is returning to his hometown of Atlanta, and sophomore C.J. Spiller combined for 280 yards rushing and four total touchdowns last week against N.C. State.

Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, they don’t need to watch videotape of that game to understand just how dangerous Davis and Spiller can be. The tandem combined for 332 rushing yards and four total touchdowns against Georgia Tech last season in a 31-7 Clemson victory, and both players would love to deliver an encore performance.

If Georgia Tech is able to contain Clemson’s ground game — and that’s a possibility, given that coordinator Jon Tenuta’s defense ranks No. 11 nationally against the run (72.3 yards per game) — the Tigers can turn to a capable quarterback in fourth-year junior Cullen Harper.

Harper already has set nine school records four games into his career, and he enters the game No. 7 in the country in pass efficiency (181.1). Harper has yet to throw an interception in 130 pass attempts and will need to continue making good decisions against Georgia Tech, which uses a variety of blitzes and ranks No. 8 in the country in sacks (3.8 per game).

The Yellow Jackets haven’t been nearly as productive in the passing game as Clemson, struggling to find their identity now that Calvin Johnson has departed for the NFL. Quarterback Taylor Bennett, also a fourth-year junior, has completed just 50.5 percent of his passes and thrown for just one touchdown through four games. He has been smart with the football, throwing just one interception so far, but the Yellow Jackets need to make more plays down the field to keep opponents from ganging up against the run.

While Clemson appears to be the better team and certainly is playing better right now, Georgia Tech enjoys a key advantage in this matchup: special teams. The Yellow Jackets lead the nation in net punting (44.1 yards per punt) and rank No. 9 in kickoff returns (28.9 yards per return), and the Tigers are just No. 109 (30.4 ypp) and No. 96 (18.8 ypr), respectively, in those categories.

To have a chance to win this game, Georgia Tech must maintain those trends and then take advantage of its superior field position. If the Yellow Jackets can’t do that, they’ll fall to 0-3 in league play for the first time since 1994.

Clemson by 3