Justice Haynes rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on Saturday afternoon to help visiting Georgia Tech earn a 20-6 victory over Clemson in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Alberto Mendoza threw for 138 yards, while backup quarterback Grady Adamson ran 19 times for 87 yards and a score for Georgia Tech (3-7, 2-5), which snapped a four-game losing streak and won at Clemson for the first time since 2008.
Clemson (6-4, 4-3) starting quarterback Tait Reynolds left with an injury on the game’s first drive. After walk-on Trent Pearman entered and completed two passes for six yards and lost a fumble, he was replaced by former starter Christopher Vizzina.
Vizzina, who hadn’t appeared in a game since Sept. 12, completed 12 of 27 passes for 133 yards and an interception. The Tigers failed to score an offensive touchdown in their second straight game.
Georgia Tech added to its 10-point halftime lead with Haynes’ 53-yard touchdown rush to make it 20-3.
Clemson cut the deficit to 14 on Nolan Hauser’s 47-yard field goal with 3:01 left in the third quarter.
The Yellow Jackets threatened to tack on late in the fourth quarter, but Adamson fumbled at Clemson’s 18-yard line and Sammy Brown recovered it.
Vizzina gave the ball back to Georgia Tech, though, as his pass was intercepted by Kealan Jones to punctuate a suffocating defensive effort.
Reynolds was injured on a seven-yard scramble just three plays in. Pearman entered and Clemson punted on each of its first two drives.
Georgia Tech’s second drive went 80 yards on seven plays and ended on Adamson’s 3-yard rushing touchdown to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Pearman fumbled on the next drive, returning the ball to Georgia Tech at the Tigers’ 34-yard line.
The Yellow Jackets added on with Aidan Birr’s 24-yard field goal to push the lead to 10 with 14:20 left in the first half.
Birr missed badly on a 49-yard attempt after Clemson’s third punt.
Vizzina replaced Pearman and led the Tigers to their first score, as Hauser’s 40-yard field goal pulled Clemson within seven.
Mendoza was then picked off by Corey Myrick on Clemson’s 37. After reaching Georgia Tech’s 20-yard line, the Tigers lost 15 yards across the next three plays, leading to Hauser’s missed 52-yard try.
Mendoza hit Chris Corbo for a 50-yard pass on the next play, but Georgia Tech had to settle for Birr’s 22-yard field goal to give the Yellow Jackets a 13-3 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
