Clemson a measuring stick for Tech

ATLANTA — Georgia Tech couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to show how far the program has come in Coach Geoff Collins’ second season.

The Yellow Jackets also couldn’t ask for a more daunting challenge.

Georgia Tech will play at home against the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time in 40 years when No. 1 Clemson, led by the high-profile tandem of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, puts its perfect record on the line on

Saturday.

Clemson (4-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Yellow Jackets 52-14 last season in Collins’ debut. Collins says Georgia Tech (2-2, 2-1) showed in last week’s 46-27 victory over Louisville it “has a chance to be really good in the present. I don’t think we have to talk in future tense.”

Asked if his rebuilding job was ahead of schedule, Collins said “I don’t get too caught up in that.

“I have high expectations. I know what the end result is going to be. … It’s a relentless pursuit to be as good as we possibly can be. We’ve got some really good talent we’re really blessed to coach right now, some really young talent that is playing at a high level. I’m just really proud of the guys.”

Clemson is determined to avoid looking past Georgia Tech after last week’s big win over then-No. 7 Miami. Lawrence said the Tigers can learn from defending national champion LSU’s loss to unranked Missouri last week.

Lawrence said LSU’s loss “makes you realize how important the regular season is, each game, no matter if it’s a top-10 game like last week or this week a game without that much hype around it. But Georgia Tech’s a great team and you’ve got to prepare the same way.”

While Clemson’s experienced duo of Lawrence and Etienne are Heisman Trophy candidates, Georgia Tech is rebuilding behind two promising freshmen, quarterback Jeff Sims and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

“This is definitely a great opportunity playing against a No. 1 team,” Sims said. “We get to show how much we’ve improved since last year.”