Georgia Tech is 1-3 for the first time since the 2003 season, the second season of then-coach Chan Gailey. The Jackets finished that season 7-6.

Tech gained 203 yards of offense, but 118 of them were gained after the Jackets fell behind 42-7 in the third quarter. To that point, Tech had gained 85 yards on 40 plays.

Clemson ran 66 plays and gained 480 yards, an average of 7.3 yards per play. The Tigers gained 24 first downs via run or pass, meaning the Tigers were picking up a first down or scoring a touchdown every 2.8 plays.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s passing efficiency rating was 216.58, as he completed 13 of 18 passes for 176 yards with four touchdowns against one interception. The rating was the sixth highest against Tech in coach Paul Johnson’s tenure for a quarterback attempting 15 or more passes, according to sports-reference.com.

The 28-point margin of defeat is Tech’s worst in an ACC game since a 48-20 loss at North Carolina in 2016. It is the worst conference home loss since 2003, a 39-3 defeat to Clemson that also dropped the Jackets to 1-3. (sports-reference.com) In all games, it hasn’t been long since Tech lost by more. The Jackets lost 38-7 to Georgia last November.

ESPN’s Football Power Index projects Tech to have a better-than-even chance to win four of its remaining eight games – Bowling Green (97 percent), Louisville (59 percent), North Carolina (63 percent) and Virginia (71 percent). That would put Tech at 5-7 for the season. The other games are against Duke (35 percent), Virginia Tech (21 percent), Miami (29 percent) and Georgia (6 percent).

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Georgia Tech coach Brent Key — pictured taking the field against Virginia Tech last month — said of his recruiting strategy: “When we’re looking at recruits, they’ve gotta be equal to or better talent than the guys we currently have on the team. If you don’t look at it that way, you’re never gonna increase and improve yourself as a football team.” (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Public Service Commission candidate Peter Hubbard gets a hug from Brionté McCorkle, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, during an election-night party in Southwest Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.  (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC