While the game’s lone touchdown, which culminated in Christopher Smith returning a D.J. Uiagalelei pass for a touchdown can be viewed as the game’s turning point.
Dabo Swinney’s decision to go for it on fourth down can be viewed as the most pivotal in Georgia’s 10-3 win over Clemson.
Fourth-and-5 from the Georgia 45-yard line.
Clemson had all three timeouts and could have theoretically pinned Georgia inside its own territory. The Bulldogs offense hadn’t done much of anything for the game’s first 55 minutes. Brent Venables’ unit was able to consistently get big stops when called upon.
In his postgame press conference, Swinney talked about Clemson’s inability to make critical plays at critical junctions.
This was one of them.
Still, Swinney stuck to his guns, and he and his coaching staff’s decision to go for it.
“We felt like we were in a good rhythm,” he said. “We had just missed…we had the third down play and we dropped the ball there.”
Swinney is referring to a pass that Braden Galloway probably should have caught. One that fell incomplete after Lewis Cline knocked it out of the senior tight end’s hands.
They just needed five yards to prolong a six-play, 30-yard drive.
“Just trying to stay aggressive and go win the game,” Swinney added. “We thought we had a good call, but certainly that’s something you can definitely second guess right there. Punt the ball and maybe get it back with a little bit of time to go score.”
D.J. Uiagalelei rolled out to his right, pressure coming down on him, as it had been all game. He looked for his teammate, sophomore receiver E.J. Williams, trying to move the chains during the game’s most important play for the Tigers.
Incomplete.
Turnovers on Downs.
While the play broke down, yet again, Swinney claimed full responsibility. The buck stops at the feet of Clemson’s head coach.
“It didn’t work out, so that’s on me,” he said. “We hit it and it’s a great decision. Those are in-game tough moments, tough decisions. Again, with the rhythm, we had right there and the play call, we felt like we had them a little bit on their heels right there.”
Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!