Georgia Tech vs. Clemson: A Preview of the ACC Championship Game

It's ACC Championship game week! It's Georgia Tech vs Clemson for the right to go the Orange Bowl. Both teams are coming off bitterly disappointing losses to their in state arch rivals. Georgia Tech lost 30-24 to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Clemson Tigers lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks 34-17. Despite the losses the two teams have had an exciting rivalry the last decade and this should be a close competitive game.

I don't think last Saturday's results will play much role in the upcoming game. Clemson hasn't shown the ability to power run this season the way Georgia did against Georgia Tech. Clemson will typically line the quarterback up in the shotgun, and run from that formation. For Clemson a stiff South Carolina defense stuffed them. Georgia Tech's defense has been inconsistent at best, and got sliced apart by the Bulldogs run game. Neither team is likely to take advantage of the other the way the Bulldogs and and Gamecocks did. So what do I see as the keys to the game?

How does Clemson handle Georgia Tech's triple option?

This is an interesting question. Clemson will be the first team to see Georgia Tech's offense twice in the same season and three times in the last 14 months. Certainly that will help the Tiger's preparation, but I also think that Yellow Jackets offense has become much more diverse in the last year. Josh Nesbitt is an improved passer and Paul Johnson is not afraid to throw it deep, specifically to all-ACC receiver Demaryius Thomas. The Tigers have looked disturbingly soft up the middle in recent weeks. Virginia and South Carolina had success running simple quarterback draws. Nesbitt suffered an apparent ankle injury against Georgia, and was out most of the 2nd quarter. When he returned he appeared around 80%-90%. He looked a step slow, but the Jackets could still move the ball. With all do respect to backup Jaybo Shaw if he plays the Jacket's can't win this game. He simply isn't much of a running threat, and Clemson's athletic ends Ricky Sapp and Da'quan Bowers can just sit on the edges.

Can Georgia Tech's defense stop Kyle Parker, C.J Spiller, and Clemson offense?

I don't think so. Early in the year the Clemson's offense was C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford, and an inexperienced Parker at QB. Since then TE Michael Palmer and WR Xavier Dye have become part of the passing offense. Andre Ellington can contribute at RB resting Spiller. The Georgia Tech defense had a some decent games giving only seven points to North Carolina and nine to Virginia, but in large part this unit has been a disappointment. I'm not sold on Dave Wommack as a defensive coordinator either. I have not been impressed with his job over the last two years. I'm not convinced he can come up with game plan that can slow the Clemson team. If the Tigers can handle Yellow Jacket DE Derrick Morgan, they'll be able to move the ball on Georgia Tech.

Ok neither team will be able to stop the other so what will be the difference?

Dabo Swinney has done a great job this year and is a very good motivator. As discussed he's improved the Clemson offense since early in the year, but it is stilled ranked only 74th in the nation. They will score points, but they can't match Paul Johnson's triple option offense. Miami has been the only team this season that's really slowed the Georgia Tech offense for a whole game. Paul Johnson is a master at in-game adjustments, and has never lost two games in row while at Georgia Tech. The Jacket's beat every team they lost to last year except LSU whom they didn't play. If you had success against him once he usually finds something the next time around. He hasn't lost to Clemson, but the Tigers have given Georgia Tech some very tough games. I give Paul Johnson the edge over Dabo Swinney in the coaching department and that will be the difference.

Throw it all out the window if Nesbitt can't go or is less than 80% for some reason. Let's assume Josh Nesbitt is fairly healthy which reports Monday say he is.

I like the Jackets in a moderately high scoring affair 31-27.

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