While Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was riddling Georgia Tech’s defense with pinpoint accurate passes for most of the first half, Georgia Tech’s Justin Thomas couldn’t get anything going in Saturday’s 43-24 loss.
Harassed by a Clemson defense that features several NFL prospects, Thomas went 2-for-7 for 53 yards with a 50-yard touchdown as well as an interception in the first half as the Tigers raced out to a 33-10 lead. Thomas finished with 3 yards rushing — a career low since becoming the starter before the 2014 season — on 14 attempts and 6-of-14 passing for 159 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
After Thomas’ first pass was incomplete, he forced his second attempt into a space where there were three Tech receivers and as many Clemson defenders. The pass was intercepted by Tigers cornerback Cordrea Tankersely at the 46-yard line and returned to the 36. The Tigers took advantage of the short field to a kick a 21-yard field goal and take a 10-0 lead with 11:14.
Thomas missed on two more passes before his first completion, a 3-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Summers in the second quarter.
Thomas was finally able to make a big play when he hit a wide open Clinton Lynch for a 50-yard touchdown pass that cut the Tigers’ lead to 26-10 with 5:27 left in the first half. Lynch ran from his A-back spot down the middle of the field with no Clemson player within 15 yards of him when he caught the pass. It was the 14th consecutive game in which Tech’s run-first offense threw a touchdown pass.
Thomas added a 46-yard touchdown pass to an open Ricky Jeune in the fourth quarter to cut Clemson’s lead to 43-24 with 8:52 left.
Thomas was completing 45.6 percent of his passes heading into Saturday’s game with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Thomas had nowhere to run either. His eight rushes in the first half netted six yards.
