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Turnovers doom Georgia State football in 31-28 home loss to Louisiana Monroe in Sun Belt Conference play (11.12.22) — November 12, 2022

Turnovers doom Georgia State football in 31-28 home loss to Louisiana Monroe in Sun Belt Conference play (11.12.22)

/E. Marcel Pourtout/Leave a comment

It was a disappointing Senior Day for the Georgia State football team as critical turnovers lead to a 31-28 home loss to Louisiana Monroe Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) saw their two-game winning streak snapped while the Warhawks (4-6, 3-3) have now won their last two contests and keep their hopes of bowl eligibility alive.
Georgia State led in total offensive yards 535-300 and converted 13 out of 24 third-down attempts. The Panthers also converted on four out of seven fourth-down attempts and scored on all four possessions in the red zone.
Georgia State’s defense limited Monroe to a third-down conversion rate of three-for-12.
Offensive superlatives for Georgia State included quarterback Darren Grainger who threw for a game-high 349 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 31 yards. Jamari Thrash had a game-high 164 receiving yards on nine catches and Marcus Carroll had a game-high 110 rushing yards on 28 carries. Tucker Gregg’s two touchdowns give him 27 for the career which is a program record.
Monroe was led offensively by Chandler Rogers who threw for a team-high 225 yards. Defensive player Quae Drake had two touchdowns, one on a returned block punt and the other on an interception return for the Warhawks.
Georgia State started the second half with the ball and up 21-20. The Panthers lost possession of downs on an incomplete pass from Grainger to Aubry Payne.
After forcing a Warhawks’ punt, the Panthers increased their lead to 28-20 on a 21-yard touchdown catch by Ja’Cyais Credle on a fade route the back of the end zone on the left side.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Monroe kicker Calum Sutherland hit his third field goal fo the day, this one from 54 yards and grazed the crossbar to cut into Georgia State’s lead and making the score 28-23.
Monroe was driving the ball down the field on its next possession and got the ball into Panthers’ territory but Antavious Lane intercepted a deflected pass by Chandler Rogers intended for Zach Rasmussen.
The Warhawks took the lead on a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown by Drake. Rogers’ pass attempt was completed to Jevin Frett in the end zone on the two-point conversion giving Monroe the 31-28 lead with 6:23 left in regulation.
The Panthers got the ball back and on fourth and two from their own 48 yard line, Grainger was only able to gain one yard on a rush, tackled by Zach Woodward.
Georgia State’s defense forced a Monroe punt and gave its offense the ball on the 16-yard line and less than three minutes left on the clock.
The drive included multiple fourth-down conversions including a 17-yard completion by Grainger to Credle on 4th and 16. However, the drive stalled when the Panthers were held two yards short on 4th and 14 on a 12-yard catch by Thrash.
The Panthers got on the board on their first possession of the contest on a four-yard touchdown run down the right side by Grainger, making the score 7-0 early in the first quarter.
Monroe scored their first points on the next possession on a 44-yard field goal by Sutherland at the 6:35 mark of the first quarter.
Georgia State increased its lead to 14-3 later in the quarter when Gregg took an inside handoff four yards for a touchdown. A highlight of the drive was an over-the-shoulder catch by Thrash on a 49-yard pass from Grainger.
Monroe got a boost when Georgia State punter Michael Hayes’ attempt was blocked by Nick Torres, recovered in the air by Drake and ran back 23 yards for a touchdown at the 14:16 mark of the second quarter.
The Panthers rebounded on their next possession, driving the ball 75 yards on nine plays culminating with a nine-yard touchdown run down the middle by Gregg early in the second quarter.
Sutherland’s second field goal of the day, this one for 36 yards, cut Georgia State’ lead to 21-13 with 5:58 remaining in the first half.
Andrew Henry’s four-yard touchdown run for Monroe cut the Panthers lead to 21-20 at the 2:27 mark of the second quarter.
Georgia State turned the ball over on its next possession when Talilique Williams fumbled the ball after catching a pass from Grainger which was recovered by Fitzroy Gardner to end the first half.

Georgia State football uses dominant ball control to earn 31-17 home win over Old Dominion in Sun Belt Play (10.29.22) — October 29, 2022

Georgia State football uses dominant ball control to earn 31-17 home win over Old Dominion in Sun Belt Play (10.29.22)

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Using a ball-control offense and a dominant second-half effort, Georgia State football emerged with a 31-17 home victory over Old Dominion in Sun Belt Conference play at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.
The Panthers (3-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) led in time of possession having the ball for 37:10 in the contest. Georgia State also outscored the Monarchs (3-5, 2-2 Sun Belt) 17-3 in the second half.


“Big win in general,” Panthers’ head coach Shawn Elliott said. “All wins are tough but its good to go out and get one especially on Homecoming. I thought we did a really nice job controlling the game throughout. Very proud of our football team.”


Offensive standouts for Georgia State included senior running back Tucker Gregg who had rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Gregg is now the program’s all-time leading rusher with 2,165 career yards surpassing Tra Barnett who had 2,116 yards from 2016-2019.
Quarterback Darren Grainger passed for 195 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown in the win.
The Panthers outgained the Monarchs 413-283 in total offense. Georgia State gaine 218 yards on the ground in 62 attempts.
Georgia State’s defense had six sacks including two from Thomas Gore. The sack total was one short of the program record in a contest. The 26 rushing yards allowed by Old Dominion is the third-lowest total allowed by the Panthers in program history in a game.
With the score tied 14-14, Georgia State was forced to punt on its first possession of the second half but Old Dominion was penalized for roughing the kicker resulting in an automatic first down for the home team. Luke Lindenfelder was the charged defensive player and the punter was Michael Hayes.
The resulting conclusion of the drive, which included an 11-yard by Grainger on third-and-10, was a one-yard TD run by Grainger to give the Panthers the 21-14 lead at the 5:00 mark of the third quarter.
The Panthers got the ball back deep in ODU territory when Gore forced a fumble on Hayden Wolff’s rushing attempt which was recovered by Javon Dennis. On its first play from scrimmage on the subsequent possession, Marcus Carroll rushed 11 yards to the right side for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 28-14.
Georgia State increased its lead midway through the fourth quarter on Hayes’ 26-yard field goal, ending a 17-play, 84-yard drive that took 10:12 off the clock.
The Monarchs cut the deficit to 31-17 with 4:51 left in regulation on Ethan Sanchez’s 40-yard field goal.
The start of the contest didn’t go the way of Georgia State which was stopped short on a fourth-and-two attempt on its first possession of the contest on one-yard loss rush attempt by Gregg as he was tackled by EJ Green and Jason Henderson.
The Monarchs also turned the ball over on downs in their first possession when Wolff was stopped one yard short of a first down on a three-yard scramble, tackled by Jontrey Hunter.
Old Dominion got on the board first with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Wolff to Javon Harvey midway through the first quarter. Wolff had a game-high 257 passing yards and Harvey caught three passes for a game-high 124 yards in the loss.
Georgia State moved the ball down the field on its next possession but the drive was stalled when after receiving a pass from Grainger, Jay Dixon fumbled the ball which was forced by Robert Kennedy and recovered by Tre Hawkins III at the Monarchs’ seven-yard line.
The Panthers’ defense held firm and forced a punt that was returned 28 yards by Tailique Williams deep in Old Dominion territory. Georgia State was able to get its first score a few plays later on Gregg’s four-yard touchdown run, tying the score 7-7 with 2:29 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers took a 14-7 lead with 10:04 left in the first half when Grainger connected with Jamari Thrash on a 38-yard touchdown pass down the right side off of play action. Thrash had a team-high 87 receiving yards on three catches.
The Monarchs tied the score 14-14 at the 7:15 mark of the second quarter on Wolff’s 12-yard touchdown pass down the middle to Ali Jennings.
The Panthers once again had a productive drive offensively including on a converted fourth down on an eight-yard catch by Gregg. However, Hayes’ 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Hawkins on their final possession of the first half.
Georgia State outgained Old Dominion 252-191 in total yards through the first two quarters.

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Forced turnovers, rushing attack propels Georgia State football to 41-33 home win over rival Georgia Southern (10.8.22) — October 8, 2022

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Forced turnovers, rushing attack propels Georgia State football to 41-33 home win over rival Georgia Southern (10.8.22)

/E. Marcel Pourtout/Leave a comment

Behind five forced turnovers, including four interceptions, on defense and 335 rushing yards as a team on offense, the Georgia State football team increased its winning streak to two games with a 41-33 home win over Georgia Southern at Center Park Stadium in Atlanta Saturday afternoon.


“Anytime you play your rival and come out and defeat those guys this game means more to us,” Panthers’ head coach Shawn Elliot said. “This game means a lot. We prepared like that and pushed for it. I thought it was a great contest. We had to go out and win it. It feels very good.”


Georgia State (2-4, 1-1 Sun Belt) converted all three of its fourth-down attempts in the victory. All three took place when the Panthers held the lead.


“I have to be comfortable with what we’re doing offensively,” Elliott said. “I don’t see that as a huge risk because we have the ability to convert it. That’s the feel of the game.”


The five turnovers tied a school record for a single contest.


“That’s an awesome job,” Elliott said. “We’re just in the right spot at times to take that ball away. You have to put pressure on the quarterback to make him uncomfortable and we did that a few times. We were making plays today.”


Leading 27-17 to start the second half, Georgia State had a major decision on its first possession. On fourth-and-four in Georgia Southern (3-3, 0-2 Sun Belt) territory, the Panthers converted on a 10-yard pass by Darren Grainger to Ja’Cyais Credle. The drive ended with a three-yard touchdown run up the middle by Tucker Gregg, making the score 34-17 early in the third quarter. Gregg finished the day with 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
The Eagles’ response was a touchdown of their own as Kyle Vantrease connected with Khaleb Hood on a 15-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 34-24 midway though the third quarter. Vantrease threw for a game-high 359 yards and three touchdowns along with the four interceptions.
Georgia Southern got its first turnover of the contest on Marc Stampley’s interception of Grainger’s pass intended for Jamari Thrash. On the subsequent possession, the Eagles scored a touchdown on Amare Jones’ 24-yard touchdown catch from Vantrease. The extra point attempt was blocked by Justin Abraham, keeping the score 34-30 in favor of the Panthers.
Georgia State’s make another important decision on its next drive. On fourth-and-four, Grainger connected with Thrash on a six-yard pass to keep the drive alive. The next play from scrimmage saw Gregg take an inside handoff and run untouched for a 33-yard touchdown run, increasing Georgia State’s lead to 41-30 with 13:04 left in regulation. Grainger had a team-high 262 total yards (186 passing and 76 rushing) while Thrash had a team-high 75 receiving yards on five catches.
The Panthers held the Eagles to a 25-yard field goal attempt by Alex Raynor which was converted, decreasing their lead to 41-33 at the 8:26 mark of the fourth quarter.
Georgia State’s defense stood strong again on the next possession when on fourth-and-one, Vantrease was intercepted for the fourth time on the day by Jordan Jones. The Panthers controlled the clock the rest of the way to secure the victory.
Georgia Southern jumped out to the 7-0 lead on its opening possession of the contest. Jalen White’s four-yard touchdown run on an inside handoff completed the four-play, 75-yard scoring drive which also included a 65-yard pass completion from Vantrease to Jeremy Singleton.
Georgia State responded on its first possession with a touchdown to tie the score 7-7. The nine-play, 75-yard drive culminated with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Granger to Robert Lewis on an inside route.
Michael Hayes’ 23-yard field goal midway through the first quarter gave the Panthers their first lead of the contest, making the score 10-7. The drive was kept alive when a defensive chop block penalty was called against defensive back Wylan Free, negating a lost fumble by Georgia State running back Marcus Carroll.
The Georgia State defense created its second turnover of the contest when linebacker Jamil Muhammad intercepted Vantrease’s pass near midfield. It led to another field goal by Hayes, this time from 41 yards to increase the lead to 13-7 late in the first quarter.
The Eagles cut the deficit to 13-10 with 12:44 left in the first half on Raynor’s 35-yard field goal.
The scoring continued for the Panthers when Jamyest Williams took an inside handoff on third down and bounced it to the outside left for a six-yard TD run, making the score 20-10 at the 10:02 mark of the second quarter. Williams also had a long run of 42 yards on the drive and finished the day with a game-high 129 rushing yards on 16 carries.
After Georgia State forced its third turnover of the first half, this one courtesy of an interception of a Vantrease pass by Jontrey Hunter, Grainger’s 53-yard touchdown pass down the left side over two defenders to Thrash made the score 27-10 with 3:34 left in the first half.
The Eagles cut the deficit to 27-17 with 53 seconds remaining in the first half on a one-yard touchdown by Derwin Burgess Jr.
Georgia State outgained Georgia Southern in total yardage in the first half 335-236.

Fighting Peaches: Georgia State football falls at home to Charlotte, 42-41 (9.17.22) — September 17, 2022

Fighting Peaches: Georgia State football falls at home to Charlotte, 42-41 (9.17.22)

/E. Marcel Pourtout/Leave a comment

Despite outgaining Charlotte in total yardage and holding a lead late in the fourth quarter, the Georgia State football team remained winless for its 2022 campaign with a 42-21 home defeat at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta Saturday night.
The Panthers (0-3) took the 41-35 lead at the 1:39 mark in the fourth quarter on Darren Grainger’s 32-yard touchdown pass down the middle to Jamari Thrash. Grainger scored the two-point conversion on a quarterback keeper.
Grainger threw for a team-high and career-high 343 yards and four touchdowns in the defeat. Thrash had a game-high and program-high 213 receiving yards on 10 catches.
Charlotte (1-3) got the ball and drove the ball down the field. The 49ers had their drive extended when Jaylon Jones was called for pass interference defending wide receiver Grant DuBose in the end zone. After a ChaVon McEachern one yard run on first down, he was stopped for a one-yard loss on second down on a tackle by Jordan Veneziale and Jontrey Hunter. However, Charlotte able to take a 42-41 lead with 17 seconds remaining on Chris Reynolds’ two-yard touchdown pass down the middle to DuBose.
Reynolds finished with a game-high 401 passing yards and five touchdowns. DuBose caught a team-high nine passes for 85 yards.
Georgia State got one final possession but weren’t able to ge the ball past midfield as time expired.


“It was a poorly executed football game starting right here at the top with myself,” Panthers’ head coach Shawn Elliott said. “It goes down to our assistant coaches, our captains, our seniors, everyone in that locker room. Everybody take a turn from offense to defense to special teams. I’m sick and mad. Its hard to come in here and talk when you experienced what we just experienced.”


The Panthers outgained the 49ers in total yardage 602-501. Georgia State ran 89 plays compared to only 66 for the 49ers.
Charlotte first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter resulted in a score as Reynolds found Henry Rutledge for a short pass towards the left sideline and behind a group of blockers he took the ball 31 yards into the end zone, making the score 35-27 in favor of the 49ers.
Georgia State responded with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Tucker Gregg with 11:00 left in regulation. The Panthers’ two-point attempt to tie the contest was unsuccessful as Grainger’s pass into the end zone was broken up. Gregg had a game-high 100 rushing yards.
Georgia State was able to stop Charlotte on the road team’s next possession on fourth down when Veneziale broke up a Reynolds pass intended for Dubose.
The Panthers went for it on fourth and four from the Charlotte 38-yard line but were unable to convert due to an incomplete pass by Grainger to Thrash.
Georgia State’s defense was able to hold and forced a punt, giving the Panthers the ball down 35-33 with 4:21 left in regulation.
From the beginning of the contest, both teams were able to advance the ball with ease offensively.
Georgia State jumped out to the 7-0 lead on its first possession of the contest on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Grainger to Kris Byrd.
Charlotte answered on its first offensive possession with Dubose’s seven-yard touchdown catch from Reynolds to tie the score.
On the next possession, Jamyest Williams’ 13-yard run precipitated a 34-yard touchdown pass towards the left side of the end zone over two Charlotte defenders from Grainger to Robert Lewis.
Georgia State got a big stop on fourth down deep in their territory on Charlotte’s next possession when Thomas Gore tackled Shadrick Byrd for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the three-yard line.
On the first play of the second quarter, Charlotte tied the score at 14-14 when Barutti Mazangu’s sack forced a fumble by Granger which was recovered by Markees Watts and returned 52 yards for the touchdown.
The 49ers forced another turnover when pressure from defensive tackle Jalar Holley forced an errant pass from Grainger intercepted by defensive lineman Amir Saddiq.
The Panthers got the ball back with another interception in the contest. Quavian White intercepted a pass by Reynolds intended for Dubose.
After forcing a punt, Charlotte took a 21-14 lead on two-yard TD pass from Reynolds to Victor Tucker with 9:04 left in the first half.
Georgia State was able to cut the deficit to 21-20 on its next possession when Gregg rushed it down the right side for a two-yard touchdown. The big play of the drive was a 73-yard pass from Grainger to Thrash. Michael Hayes missed the extra point attempt at the 7:29 mark of the second quarter.
The Panthers outgained the 49ers in total yardage in the first half 309-223.
Leading 21-20 at halftime, Charlotte took the opening possession of the third quarter and proceeded to have a five-play, 75-yar scoring drive culminating in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Reynolds to Elijah Spencer.
Georgia State scored on its first possession of the second half as well as Grainger connected with Byrd on a six-yard touchdown pass on the left side, cutting the 49ers lead to 28-27.
The Panthers’ defense stepped up and stopped Charlotte on fourth down deep in its territory when Reynolds’ pass to Spencer in the end zone was broken up by Jaylon Jones late in the third quarter.
Georgia State returns to action on Thursday, September 22 at home against Coastal Carolina in its Sun Belt Conference opener.

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Georgia State football falls to North Carolina, 35-28, in home opener (9.10.22) — September 10, 2022

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Georgia State football falls to North Carolina, 35-28, in home opener (9.10.22)

/E. Marcel Pourtout/Leave a comment

Despite scoring 18 unanswered points in the third quarter, the Georgia State football team fell short in its home opener against North Carolina 35-28 at Center Parc Stadium Saturday afternoon.


“I never, ever question what we do as a football team does as far as effort,” Panthers’ head coach Shawn Elliott said. “Some of our execution could have been better, but man, what a team that we have. The way we played against the University of South Carolina and the University of North Carolina, we’re going to hold our heads high and come back better next week.”


Trailing 21-10 to start the second half, Georgia State (0-2) cut the deficit on its first possession of the third quarter on Robert Lewis’ 49-yard touchdown catch from Darren Grainger.
Lewis has career highs with 10 receptions for 115 yards along with two touchdowns. Grainger finished the game with a team-high 259 total yards (184 yards passing and 75 yards rushing).
The Panthers’ positive momentum continued when on the very next play from scrimmage, linebacker Jacorey Crawford intercepted North Carolina (3-0) quarterback Drake Maye’s pass. Georgia State took advantage and Michael Hayes’ field goal at the 10:19 mark of the third quarter made the score 21-20 in favor of the Tar Heels.
Georgia State created another turnover on North Carolina’s next offensive possession. Maye completed his pass to Kobe Paysour but a group of Panthers tackled the receiver and forced a fumble recovered by Crawford.
Georgia State took the lead on a 10-play, 98-yard drive that culminated with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Grainger to Lewis with 2:04 left in the third quarter. The Panthers converted a two-point conversion on a catch by Jamari Thrash, making the score 28-21.
North Carolina responded with a 58-yard touchdown run up the middle by Omarion Hampton on its next possession tying up the score at 28-28 going into the fourth quarter. Hampton finished the day with a game-high 110 rushing yards.
The Tar Heels retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on Hampton’s two-yard TD run down the middle, making the score 35-28.
Georgia State created another turnover late in the fourth quarter when Antavious Lane’s tackle of Jones forced a fumble recovered by Jontrey Hunter. However, Panthers were unable to score to tie the contest.


“We had the opportunity to take that game but didn’t make the plays we needed to offensively, defensively and special teams,” Elliott said. “It was a team loss.”


On the first possession of the contest, North Carolina converted a fourth-and-one on a two-yard run by Omarion Hampton. The Tar Heels took advantage of their extra plays and scored the first touchdown of the contest on a 55-yard touchdown pass from Maye to Kamari Morales on an inside slant. Maye had a game-high 284 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Georgia State scored its first points of the contest on a 45-yard field goal by Hayes. The Panthers missed a good opportunity for a touchdown of their own on the previous play when Grainger missed a wide open pass to Kris Byrd. Georgia State also got a break when a Grainger fumble was overturned after review to an illegal forward pass.
North Carolina opened the second quarter with another touchdown courtesy of a seven-yard touchdown run by D.J. Jones.
The Tar Heels continued their fast start, increasing their lea to 21-3 on 28-yard touchdown catch by Paysour with 8:58 remaining in the first half.
Georgia State got its first touchdown of the contest on a six-yard catch by Byrd from Grainger at the 5:32 mark of the second quarter.
North Carolina outgained Georgia State in total yards 467-419.

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Georgia Tech football fall to Clemson, 41-10, at Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game (9.6.22) — September 6, 2022

The Sports Inquirer presents Fighting Peaches: Georgia Tech football fall to Clemson, 41-10, at Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game (9.6.22)

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Offensive struggles and special teams errors, including two blocked punts, doomed Georgia Tech as the Yellow Jackets dropper their season opener at the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game to Clemson 41-10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta September 5.

“We’ve got to clean those things up,” Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins said. “The penalties, the blocked punts, the attitude, the demeanor. As the leader of the program, I take great responsibility getting those things cleaned up and I just told the guys its a five-day week to put this game to bed and work on the next opponent.”

Clemson (1-0, 1-0 ACC) amassed 378 total yards of offense a game-high 229 yards from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Will Shipley had a team-high 42 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers as well.

Georgia Tech (0-1, 0-1 ACC) only had 238 yards of total offense an converted only two out of 16 third-down attempts stalling multiple drives. Jeff Sims threw for a team-high 163 yads and one touchdown while also having a team-high 42 rushing yards. The Yellow Jackets offensive line committed multiple false start penalties in the loss.

“The biggest thing with the false starts is that Clemson was doing a good job of stemming and moving the defensive front,” Collins said. “You have to play those situations with poise staying focused doing your assignment, listen to the snap count and see the ball snapped, all those kind of things.”

On the first offensive play from scrimmage in the contest, Sims’ pass was intercepted by Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba. The Yellow Jackets’ defense was able to hold strong and forced a Tigers’ punt.

Georgia Tech’s defense created the first turnover of the contest early in the first quarter when Ayinde Eley forced and recovered a fumble on a run by Uiagalelei.

On the subsequent possession, Georgia Tech converted a fourth and one in its own territory on a quarterback sneak by Sims for two yards. The drive ended with a punt.

Clemson had the first big play of the game on special teams. Carson Donnelly blocked Yellow Jackets’ punter David Shanahan’s attempt which was recovered by Brannon Spector and returned to the five-yard line. The Tigers were able to convert a fourth-and-one for their first score of the game with a one-yard touchdown run by Shipley.

Georgia Tech placekicker Jude Kelly missed a 50-yard field goal attempt on the team’s next possession.

Clemson increased its lead to 14-0 on a six-yard touchdown pass from Uiagalelei to Beaux Collins with 3:52 left in the first half.

Georgia Tech got on the board with 1:15 remaining in the first half on Kelly’s 45-yard field goal.

Clemson outgained Georgia Tech 145-130 in total yards in the first half. The Yellow Jackets had trouble on third downs only converting on one of eight attempts.

The Yellow Jackets’ defense forced a three-and-out on the Tigers’ first possession of the second half. One of those plays was a sack of Uiagalelei forcing an intentional grounding.

Georgia Tech converted a fourth-and-six on its next possession on Malik Rutherford’s 10-yard catch from Sims. The drive was completed with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Sims to EJ Jenkins at the 9:47 mark of the third quarter, cutting Clemson’s lead to 14-10.

BT Potter’s 29-yard field goal with 5:41 left in the third quarter increased the Tigers’ lead to 17-10.

After forcing the Yellow Jackets to punt, Clemson began to take control on its next possession culminating with a nine-yard quarterback keeper by Uiagalelei at the 1:18 mark of the third quarter, making the score 24-10. Potter’s 32-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter gave the Tigers the 27-10 lead.

Clemson blocked a punt of its own which led to a touchdown run by Shipley, his second of the night, making the score 34-10 at the 6:27 left in the fourth quarter.

“Even though it was a very disappointing loss and we’re very upset and hurt, there were things to build on,” Collins said. “We have to find that balance to fix things that have to be fixed and improving upon the things that were good in tonight’s game.”

Georgia Tech returns to action September 10 at home against Western Carolina.