CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two of the most powerful teams of 2021 met at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday night, and a game straight out of the 1970s broke out.
No. 5 Georgia proved better playing that style of football, besting No. 3 Clemson, 10-3, in the Duke’s Mayo Classic, and holding Clemson to the fewest points it’s scored in a game in the Dabo Swinney era.
It was a defensive struggle throughout, and Georgia’s defense was most stout. Six different Bulldogs sacked Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei seven total times. The Tigers finished with only 180 yards of offense, and had 92 yards through three quarters.
Before that, Clemson threatened Georgia once, and that was only because JT Daniels threw an interception that set up the Tigers at the UGA 33. Three plays and two sacks later, Clemson was back at the 42 and punting for the sixth time of the night.
It wasn’t like the Bulldogs were lighting up the Clemson defense, which returned 10 starters from last season’s College Football Playoff team. Georgia’s only touchdown came on a 74-yard interception return by safety Christopher Smith. The Bulldogs’ offense entered the fourth quarter with only 212 yards.
But the Tigers got loose on the fourth quarter. Clemson was facing third-and-10 at its own 14 when Uiagalelei finally hit a receiver in stride. He connected with Joseph Engata down the Georgia sideline, with former Clemson defensive back Derion Kendrick defending on the play. The play gained 44 yards and set up the Tigers in Georgia territory.
After reaching the UGA 5 thanks to an interference call on redshirt freshman cornerback Kelee Ringo, the Bulldogs’ defense stiffened there and forced three incompletions. The Tigers had to settle for a 22-yard field goal with 9:08 to play, and now the score was 10-3.
Clemson got the ball back after Georgia’s offense went three-and-out. It nearly blocked the ensuing punt as a tip of the ball was the only thing keeping contact on punter Jake Camarda from being a penalty. Then it all proved for naught after a review revealed that the ball actually wasn’t tipped. Georgia had to re-punt from its own 33.
This time, Clemson reached the Georgia 45-yard line, where it faced fourth-and-5. The Bulldogs blitzed half the defense, it seemed, and the heavy pressure forced Uiagalelei’s 18th incompletion of the night.
Georgia took over at its 45 needing a couple of first downs to ice the game. James Cook gave the Bulldogs their first one with a 2-yard run on third-and-2 to the Clemson 44. Zamir White got the second with a 11-yard run on third-and-1 at the 36. When Clemson used its last timeout at the 1:38 to play, the Bulldogs had stuffed away the victory.
