Clemson dismantles Georgia Tech
USC switches QB; SMU, TCU battle
ATLANTA — Deshaun Watson and No. 5 Clemson finally turned in the performance everyone was expecting, totally dominating Georgia Tech in the first half on the way to a 26-7 victory Thursday night.
After sluggish wins over Auburn and Troy, and a practice-like rout of FCS school South Carolina State that meant nothing, the Tigers (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won at Georgia Tech for the first time since 2003 to set up a huge showdown with No. 3 Louisville.
Watson was 32 of 48 for 304 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams and a 9-yarder to Jordan Leggett with just 4 seconds left before halftime to complete a stunningly lopsided showing that wasn’t entirely reflected in the 23-0 lead. Wayne Gallman added a 1-yard TD run.
Clemson finished with a 442124 lead in total yards.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve won here,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “We’ll take it.”
Georgia Tech (3-1, 1-1) didn’t get into positive yards until early in the second quarter and the halftime stats were almost comical: Clemson held a 347-22 lead in yards, was up 19-3 in first downs, and ran 56 plays to only 21 for the home team.
The Yellow Jackets picked up one first down on a debatable pass interference penalty, another on a meaningless 14-yard run at the end of half. Clemson looked as though it was playing a lower-division school for the second week in a row, not its ACC opener.
“We were outmanned,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “It wasn’t a fair fight.” SOUTHERN CAL: Things are looking a bit grim for USC. The Trojans are 1-2 and now they face No. 24 Utah on the road today. A loss to the Utes would make for the Trojans’ first 1-3 start since 2001. An 0-2 start to Pac-12 play would mean USC would likely need to go undefeated in its remaining conference games just to have a chance at a league title.
And now coach Clay Helton is switching quarterbacks. Redshirt freshman Sam Darnold will make his first start for the Trojans, replacing Max Browne. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder has played in all three games and thrown for 136 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and completed 63.6 percent of his passes. Darnold also provides a running threat.
“I would not have made the change if I wasn’t confident in the decision,” Helton said.
On the opposite sideline, there’s a little revenge at stake for the Utes. Utah was ranked No. 3 in the country in 2015 when a loss to USC started a downward spiral that ended with the Utes playing in the Las Vegas Bowl after at one time being in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.
“They’re probably the most talented 1-2 team in the country,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said of USC. “They’re dangerous. We’re fully aware of that.”
TCU-SMU: TCU coach Gary Patterson and his Horned Frogs play their final nonconference game against former SWC rival SMU in the game known as the Battle for the Iron Skillet tonight.
TCU (2-1) has won 14 of the
last 16 games in the Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry. But SMU — one of the remaining candidates for possible Big 12 expansion — is 2-1 for the first time since 2011.
INDIANA: Freshman running back Kiante Enis was kicked off the team Thursday, less than 24 hours after being charged with two counts of felony child molestation for allegedly having an improper relationship with a child under 13.
The athletic department issued a one-sentence statement, announcing the dismissal would take effect immediately.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Department said it was investigating a report that Enis and a child under the age of 13 had a relationship. The department said Enis admitted to at least two consensual sexual encounters. Enis was booked into county jail and was being held Thursday on a $20,000 bond.
UCLA: The Bruins will need all 11 players on defense and special teams to contain Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey. They’ve used almost as many players to simulate McCaffrey in practice this week as they prepare to face the Heisman Trophy contender Saturday.
“It’s hard to emulate him with anybody,” coach Jim Mora said. “No disrespect to any other players in the country but I think he is the best player in football.”