Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne Help No. 1 Clemson Crush Georgia Tech in Opener

Clemson opened its national title defense with an emphatic 52-14 victory over Georgia Tech at home Thursday night.

Heisman Trophy contender Trevor Lawrence went 13-of-23 for 168 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions through the air for the top-ranked Tigers. Travis Etienne was the star with 205 yards and three scores on the ground.

Clemson had to replace Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, Trayvon Mullen and Austin Bryant after they moved on to the NFL. Despite the departure of those key players, the Tigers held Georgia Tech to 294 yards of offense.

Clemson's Dominance the Biggest Hurdle in Trevor Lawrence's Heisman Campaign

Thursday's game was a worst-case scenario for Lawrence as he attempts to become Clemson's first Heisman winner, but it highlighted a few issues that could derail his candidacy.

The Tigers never needed Lawrence to go above and beyond. They built a 28-point lead at halftime, dominating on both sides of the ball. 

It's something that could become a theme throughout the season. Clemson plays two ranked opponents in its next two games and then doesn't face a ranked team the rest of the campaign. Once the calendar flips over to October, Lawrence might only sparingly see the fourth quarter, which would limit his ability to accumulate big passing numbers.

Etienne's presence in the backfield doesn't help either. The junior running back has the potential to break off a big run any time he has the ball in his hands.

Clemson's offensive balance is devastating for opposing defenses and also a little counterproductive toward elevating one star for college football's highest individual honor.

Etienne certainly stole the show Thursday.

Yellow Jackets Offense Facing Steep Learning Curve with Transition to Geoff Collins' Scheme

The new Georgia Tech looked quite a bit like the old Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets made a significant change to their offensive identity when they named Geoff Collins as Paul Johnson's successor. Letting the triple-option go in favor of the shotgun and a more traditional style will help the program potentially surpass what was a clear ceiling under Johnson.

On the evidence of Thursday's defeat, Collins is prepared to take things slowly.

Georgia Tech attempted 18 passes and ran the ball 45 times. Starting quarterback Tobias Oliver had 20 carries, and his rushing output (56 yards) nearly surpassed his passing total (65 yards).

Perhaps Collins wanted to be even more conservative since his team drew Clemson in the opening game of the season.

It will likely take at least a year or two for Collins to leave his imprint on the offense as the Yellow Jackets cycle through the recruits who were targeted specifically for their fit in the triple-option.

The good news for Tech fans is that this will be the team's most challenging game until the season finale at home with Georgia.

Tigers' New-Look Defensive Line Makes Strong First Impression

The Yellow Jackets ran for 157 yards, well above Clemson's season average from 2018 (92.9 yards). The Tigers did, however, hold Georgia Tech to an impressive 3.5 yards per carry.

Clemson also made a goal-line stand in the second quarter when Tech had a 1st-and-goal from the 2-yard line. The Yellow Jackets called three straight running plays, which gained a total of one yard. Oliver threw an interception to Tigers safety Denzel Johnson on fourth down.

The departures of so many experienced starters should allow someone to make a name for himself. Sophomore defensive end Xavier Thomas appears ready to make that jump.

Clemson's defense will face far sterner tests over the course of the year, but the unit couldn't have performed much better in the victory.

What's Next?

Clemson hosts No. 12 Texas A&M on Sept. 7 in a return matchup from last year. The Tigers beat the Aggies by two points in College Station, Texas, in 2018. Georgia Tech heads back to Atlanta to take on South Florida on Sept. 7.