No. 1-ranked Clemson routs Georgia Tech 73-7
Trevor Lawrence wasn’t focused on his near-record streak of passes without an interception, just as he has tuned out speculation he could be the first pick in next year’s NFL draft.
Lawrence just had his mind on leading Clemson’s offense and having fun.
He brushed off the first interception he has thrown this season and passed for a career- high 404 yards and five touchdowns as No. 1 Clemson overwhelmed host Georgia Tech 73-7 on Saturday.
Clemson’s 671 yards and 73 points were the most allowed by Georgia Tech in the modern era.
“It’s really fun,” Lawrence said. “That’s why we practice and work so hard to get the details right and be on the same page. ... It’s a lot of fun when your team plays like that offensively and defensively.”
Lawrence completed 24 of 33 passes. All of his scoring passes came in the Tigers’ dominant first half.
Clemson led 52-7 at halftime.
Lawrence left the game after Clemson’s first possession of the second half.
Clemson (5- 0, 4- 0 Atlantic Coast Conference) allowed only 204 yards and had a dominant 29-7 advantage in first downs.
T he s e c ond - lon g e s t streak of passes without an interception in ACC history ended late in the first quarter when Zamari Walton picked off a pass by Lawrence. It ended Lawrence’s streak of 367 passes without an interception, falling short of the ACC record of 379 set by North Carolina State’s Russell Wilson from 2008- 09.
Otherwise, it was one of the best games of Lawrence’s career. His previous high was four touchdown passes. He passed that mark in the first half,
connecting for two scoring passes with Amari Rodgers.
Georgia Tech (2- 3, 2-2) provided its fans an early thrill when freshman quarterback Jeff Sims threw a 59-yard scoring pass to Jalen Camp in the first quarter for a 7-7 tie.
NO. 11 TEXAS A&M 28, MISSISSIPPI STATE 14 >> Isaiah Spiller ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns and Kellen Mond threw for two scores to help the Aggies (3-1) beat the host Bulldogs (1-3).
NO. 13 MIAMI (FLA.) 31, PITTSBURGH 19 >> D’eriq King threw four touchdown passes to lead the Hurricahes to the home win.
Will Mallory caught two of King’s scoring passes and Miami (4-1, 3-1 ACC) bounced back from a 42-17 loss at top-ranked Clemson the previous week.
The Panthers (3- 3, 2- 3) were without senior quarterback Kenny Pickett, who suffered an ankle injury against Boston College a week earlier.
SOUTH CAROLINA 30, NO. 15 AUBURN 22 >> Kevin Harris had two TD runs and the
host Gamecocks turned three interceptions into points to beat the Tigers for the first time in 87 years.
Auburn (2-2 Southeastern Conference) had won eight straight in the series and jumped out to a 9- 0 lead in the opening 10 minutes. But Bo Nix threw three interceptions and the Gamecocks (22) cashed in each time to win consecutive games for the first time in more than a year.
Shi Smith had eight catches, including a 10-yard TD grab midway through the third quarter that put South Carolina ahead for good, 20-19.
KENTUCKY 34, NO. 18 TENNESSEE 7 >> Kelvin Joseph and Jami Davis returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first half for the visiting Wildcats.
After getting six interceptions and allowing only a safety against Mississippi State a week earlier, Kentucky (2-2) picked off three passes against the Vols (2-2).
Joseph’s 41-yard touchdown and Davis’ 85-yard
return — both off interceptions thrown by Jarrett Guarantano — helped put Kentucky up 17- 0 in the second quarter.
FLORIDA COACH MULLEN POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 >> Florida coach Dan Mullen, who last week wanted 90,000 fans packed inside the stadium amid a pandemic, says he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Mullen made the announcement Saturday on Twitter, saying his initial positive result was confirmed by a second test. The 10th-ranked Gators had at least 21 players and coaches test positive earlier last week, an outbreak that prompted the SEC to postpone Florida’s next two games.
With potentially dozens more quarantined because of contract tracing, Florida (2-1) would have had fewer than 50 scholarship players available to face defending national champion LSU (12) Saturday in the Swamp.
The Gators’ scheduled game next week against Missouri has also been postponed.