No. 12 Clemson and Georgia Tech get their respective ACC slates started Saturday with a clash inside Atlanta’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. This will be the 90th meeting between the two rivals and the first since 2023 as the 2025 college football season rolls along.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series 50-36-2, but Clemson has made up plenty of ground in the modern era. The Tigers have won the last nine games, eight of which by at least two scores. The 2024 season marked the first time since 1982 that Georgia Tech and Clemson did not meet on the gridiron.
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The ACC’s elimination of divisions and new scheduling model to accommodate conference expansion means that the Yellow Jackets and the Tigers will meet less often, but the rivalry’s fires aren’t extinguished. Both teams have plenty to prove entering this contest.
Clemson entered the year at No. 4 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, but opened its season with a home loss against LSU and then struggled in Week 2 against Troy. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, is looking to break through into the upper echelon of the ACC once more.
A win against the reigning conference champions would go a long way towards propelling Georgia Tech into the national spotlight.
How to watch Clemson vs. Georgia Tech live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech: Need to know
Keep an eye on Haynes King: Georgia Tech’s star quarterback was a late scratch for his team’s Week 2 win against Gardner-Webb due to a nagging lower-body injury. Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key made it sound like a precautionary measure when speaking after the game, and Key was able to return to practice this week. However, his status is worth monitoring as gameday approaches.
Without King, Georgia Tech turned to experienced backup Aaron Philo, who threw for 373 yards and one touchdown in 38 attempts. Philo has played plenty of important football for Georgia Tech, and the coaching staff has tremendous faith in their No. 2 option, so the Jackets are in decent shape if King cannot suit up. Still, King’s versatility and grit are hard to replace against an opponent like Clemson.
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Did Cade Klubnik turn a corner?: Klubnik, who entered the 2025 season with Heisman Trophy expectations, was largely ineffectual in a Week 1 loss to LSU and, at times, awful in the first half of a Week 2 scare against Troy. He struggled to get anything going and threw an ill-advised pick-six with his back to the end zone to give the Trojans a stunning 16-0 lead late in the first half. With his back firmly against the wall, Klubnik responded over the final 30 minutes.
He hit standout wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. for two touchdowns, including a perfectly placed 34-yarder midway through the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach. Klubnik completed 7 of 8 pass attempts for 99 yards and two touchdowns in the second half against the Trojans. The Tigers are hoping that spark catalyzes a run from Klubnik as conference play begins.
Trench battle in the spotlight: No matter what, football games are won — and lost — in the trenches. Georgia Tech’s been quite successful in that department, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Yellow Jackets have yet to allow a sack this season and their offensive line is paving the way for a rushing attack that’s averaging a whopping 7.2 yards per carry.
But they haven’t seen a defensive front like Clemson’s yet. The Tigers boast two of the nation’s top NFL Draft prospects in interior lineman Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker. Parker already has one sack on the year. Woods is fourth on the team with 13 tackles while eating up space in the middle. Clemson also dipped into the transfer portal — a rare occurrence under Swinney — to add Purdue EDGE transfer Will Heldt, who has been an excellent addition thus far with a team-high two sacks and three tackles for loss. It’ll be a fascinating matchup when Georgia Tech’s on offense Saturday.
Clemson vs. Georgia Tech prediction, picks
This pick is contingent upon King suiting up for Georgia Tech, which seems to be the case as of now. Philo’s a capable backup, but Georgia Tech is going to need King’s edge if it wants to pull off an upset. So far, regardless of who’s playing quarterback, the Yellow Jackets have looked like the better team. They beat Colorado on the road and handled business against an obviously overmatched Gardner-Webb team. Clemson lost at home to LSU and then struggled at home against what should have been an obviously overmatched Troy team. Georgia Tech may not have enough gas to fully pull off the upset, but it will keep it within a field goal. Pick: Georgia Tech +3.5 (-110)
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