CLEMSON — Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships. That is the old adage, right?

Though there is no championship on the line when Georgia Tech visits Clemson Saturday at Memorial Stadium, there is a bowl berth at stake for both teams. So, will it be the Yellow Jackets explosive offense that will steal the show on Saturday, or will the Tigers’ stingy defense rise up to the challenge?

Ga. Tech (5-4, 4-2 ACC) at Clemson (5-4, 2-4 ACC)

Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 11, Noon

Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C.

TV: ABC

Spread: Clemson -14.5

Over/Under: 55.5

Series: Ga. Tech leads 51-35-2

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Clemson and Georgia Tech are both vying for bowl eligibility, as the winner will become bowl eligible. A bowl selection this season will mark Clemson’s 19th consecutive year going to a bowl game. However, it also means the Tigers have been bowl eligible 25 consecutive seasons. The last time Clemson was not bowl eligible was in 1998. The last time Clemson did not participate in a bowl game was in 2004. The Tigers are also trying to avoid their first losing record in conference play since 1998. That year, Clemson was 1-7 in ACC play.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is one of the top signal-callers in college football this season. He ranks among the nation’s top 10 in total offense (7th – 319.4 ypg), points responsible for (7th – 18.2 ppg) and touchdown passes (8th – 22). King is one of only two players with at least 2,300 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes, 500 rushing yards and five touchdown runs this season, joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Clemson’s defense is among the nation’s best in many categories as well. The Tigers lead the ACC and rank 6th nationally in yards allowed per game (273.8) and eighth in yards allowed per play (4.4). They also rank eighth nationally in passing defense (165.3 ypg), fifth in yards per attempt (5.5), ninth in touchdown passes allowed (8), seventh in pass rating defense (104.9) and 11th in completion percentage defense (55.1). Clemson is also 20th nationally against the run (108.4 ypg) and 16th in tackles for loss (67).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia Tech wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. is a freshman all-America and ACC Freshman of the Year candidate, as he leads all Georgia Tech with 552 receiving yards and six touchdown catches. Singleton’s 69.0 receiving yards per game leads all true freshmen nationally and his six touchdown receptions are tied for the national lead among true freshmen.

Dabo Swinney said earlier this week that running back Will Shipley is likely to play this week after missing the Notre Dame game with a concussion. He was then asked if Shipley will get the start against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday. Swinney said they will ride with the hot hand and that hot hand is Phil Mafah, who rushed for a career-best 186 yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers’ win over Notre Dame. Mafah leads Clemson in rushing yards (625), rushing touchdowns (8) and yards per carry (5.7) for players with more than 80 carries.

THIS AND THAT

Clemson, which has a strong military heritage, will celebrate its 30th Military Appreciation Day. The history of the special day dates back to 1994 when Clemson had a special flyover for the Clemson vs. Georgia Tech game on Nov. 12, just one day after Veterans Day. The flyover of four F-16s from Shaw Air Force Base during pregame was the highlight of the celebration that day. Clemson, formally founded in November 1889, was originally a military school, reflecting a belief at the time that a military atmosphere produced the highest academic excellence. More than 10,000 Clemson men and women have served in the armed forces. Throughout the decades, Clemson’s military heritage has remained, even as the university transitioned to a coeducational civilian institution in 1955. Clemson has a 25-4 record in the previous 29 Military Appreciation Day games. The Tigers have won 15 such games in a row, with the last loss coming against Virginia Tech in 2007.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The Yellow Jackets have one of the more balanced offenses in the ACC and maybe the country. Georgia Tech is averaging 204.1 ypg on the ground and 261.2 through the air. King is the architect of the offense, as he ranks second in the ACC with 319.4 total ypg. He also leads the conference in total touchdowns with 27. What does this mean? It means the Clemson defense will have its hands full. This is a get-right-game for the offense, though. Georgia Tech is not very good on defense, as they yield a league worst 455.2 ypg. The Jackets also rank last in rushing ypg at 220.0 and 13th in scoring defense (30.1 ppg). They also rank 11th in pass defense (235.2 ypg).

PREDICTION

Clemson 31, Georgia Tech 17

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