The Standard Journal

Etienne’s 3 touchdowns lead Clemson past Georgia Tech Falcons end preseason skid with 31-12 victory at Jaguars

- By Pete Iacobelli By Mark Long

Travis Etienne ran for a career-high 205 yards and three touchdowns, including one from 90 yards out, and No. 1 Clemson overpowere­d Georgia Tech 52-14 Thursday night for its 16th straight victory.

On an offense filled with stars, it was Etienne who shone brightest for the defending national champions. His 90-yard score tied for the longest rushing TD in Tigers history.

Etienne added scoring runs of 14 yards and 48 yards as Clemson opened a 35-0 lead and was never pressed by the Yellow Jackets in the season opener for both Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

It was not the flashy return that most of college football expected out of Clemson quarterbac­k Trevor Lawrence. The 6-foot-6 sophomore, so poised and polished in leading the Tigers to a 15-0, title-winning season, threw two intercepti­ons in the first half. Lawrence had just four picks all last year.

Still, Lawrence had his moments. His hustle after a bad intercepti­on knocked defensive back Tre Swilling out of bounds at the Clemson 3, and the Tigers defense kept the Yellow Jackets from scoring. Lawrence opened things with a 6-yard rushing score and threw a perfect pass to Tee Higgins for a 62-yard touchdown.

Lawrence finished 13 of 23 for 168 yards.

Clemson’s defense, which lost eight starters including its starting line of Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant and All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins, had two fourth-down stops in the first half.

Georgia Tech, changing its offensive and defensive styles under first-year coach Geoff Collins, struggled on both sides. It committed four turnovers and gave up more than 500 yards of offense.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have some work to do to get all the option out of their system. Many of their offensive plays, especially in the first half, looked like the quarterbac­k runs of former coach Paul Johnson.

Clemson: There were sloppy moments on both sides of the ball. But performers like Etienne, Lawrence and Higgins overshadow­ed any problems the Tigers might have.

Clemson came out fast and never let up. Expect the Tigers to remain No. 1, no matter how many points No. 2 Alabama or No. 3 Georgia hang on opponents this weekend.

Georgia Tech hosts South Florida on Sept. 7.

Clemson remains at home to face No. 12 Texas A&M on Sept. 7.

The Atlanta Falcons ended a 12-game, preseason losing streak with a 31-12 victory against Jacksonvil­le on Thursday night and seemingly found a solution to their kicking woes.

Matt Bryant was scheduled to try out for coaches and front office personnel at the team’s training facility Friday. The 44-year-old kicker was pronounced healthy and signed on for a 19th NFL season — his 11th with the Falcons. He also has played for the New York Giants, Indianapol­is, Miami and Tampa Bay.

Bryant and the Falcons parted ways in the offseason, with the veteran leaving Atlanta as the franchise’s leading scorer (1,122 points). His 158 points in 2016 set the team’s single-season scoring mark.

Even before Giorgio Tavecchio missed his fifth field-goal attempt of the preseason, the Falcons had plans to bring Bryant back.

Tavecchio was wide left from 53 yards late in the second quarter. He fell to 4 of 9 on field-goal attempts this preseason, also missing from 54, 52, 52 and 39 yards.

The Falcons (1-4) worked out three kickers — Elliott Fry, Younghoe Koo and Blair Walsh — last week and discussed the possibilit­y of bringing in Bryant. They settled on Walsh, at least temporaril­y. Walsh made his lone attempt Thursday night, hitting from 46 yards.

Atlanta’s kicking situation was one of the main story lines coming into the exhibition finale for both teams.

The Falcons rested 35 players, including all their starters. The Jaguars held out 40 players, including all their first-teamers.

Danny Etling completed 15 of 25 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. Etling also scrambled for 69 yards. Tony BrooksJame­s, who grew up in nearby Gainesvill­e, ran 15 times for 137 yards and two scores. He had a 52-yard TD scamper just before the two-minute warning.

Etling and Brooks-James are likely headed to the Falcons’ practice squad.

Atlanta’s previous exhibition victory came Sept. 1, 2016, a 17-15 win against the Jaguars.

Jacksonvil­le (0-4) finished winless in the preseason for the first time in franchise history and scored its fewest points (29). The previous low was 59 in 2004.

Rookie Gardner Minshew completed 11 of 26 passes for 79 yards for Jacksonvil­le. Minshew has locked up the backup spot behind Nick Foles.

Atlanta’s list of players who didn’t even dress for the game included Ryan, star receiver Julio Jones, running back Devonta Freeman, center Alex Mack, safety Keanu Neal, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, defensive end Takk McKinley and cornerback­s Desmond Trufant and Damontae Kazee.

Jacksonvil­le’s list was slightly longer and included Foles, receiver Dede Westbrook, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, cornerback A.J. Bouye, running back Leonard Fournette, linebacker Myles Jack and defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell.

Falcons cornerback Jayson Stanley left the game with a shoulder injury. Jaguars offensive lineman Ben Ijalana (elbow), guard KC McDermott (ankle) and running back Devante Mays (ankle) left the game and were later ruled out.

Falcons open the regular season at Minnesota on Sept. 8

Jaguars begin at home the same day against Kansas City.

 ??  ?? Clemson’s Travis Etienne runs down the sideline for a 90yard touchdown during the first half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Clemson, S.C. on Aug. 29.
Clemson’s Travis Etienne runs down the sideline for a 90yard touchdown during the first half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Clemson, S.C. on Aug. 29.

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