On This Date: 2013 (8)Clemson - 38 (5)Georgia- 35

Aug 31, 2022, 9:25 AM

08/31/2013
Clemson, SC

No. 8 Clemson Rides Boyd past No. 5 UGA

CLEMSON, S.C. -- As far as Tajh Boyd is concerned, Clemson's victory against Georgia wasn't a statement as much as a step toward much greater goals.

Boyd threw three touchdown passes and ran for two others as Clemson defeated No. 5 Georgia 38-35 on Saturday night. It was the Tigers' second straight win against a top-10 opponent from the Southeastern Conference. While the victory against LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl left Clemson with a strong finish to last season, this win gave the Tigers a strong start on what they hope is a special season.

"I think it was a good win," Boyd said. "Nothing that we didn't expect as a program, but it turned a lot of heads in college football."

Especially if Boyd and the Tigers keep playing this well.

Boyd matched Georgia when Clemson's defense struggled early. When the Tigers turned up the pressure on Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray, Boyd made Georgia pay.

The Tigers took the lead for good on Chandler Catanzaro's 24-yard field goal in the third quarter. Boyd pushed the margin to 38-28 in the final quarter with an 87-yard drive that ended with tight end Stanton Seckinger tip-toeing the sideline on a 9-yard TD pass.

"In games like this, it's always five or six plays that you've got to make. And we did," Swinney said.

Murray was sacked four times by Clemson's defense, considered one of the team's biggest question marks.

Boyd also had a 77-yard TD pass to Sammy Watkins and a 24-yard scoring throw to Zac Brooks. Boyd added touchdown runs of 4 and 2 yards to win the lone matchup of top-10 teams in college football's opening weekend.

It lived up to the billing, a back-and-forth classic that should vault Boyd to the top of the Heisman watch lists and get Clemson into the top five of the rankings. Boyd kept Georgia's defense on its heels all game.

"He never rattled. He never shook. His ability to run the football made us successful," Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris said.

Georgia had a chip-shot try for a tying kick on its next possession after Catanzaro's go-ahead field goal, but couldn't get if off because of a low snap by Nathan Theus.

Georgia's Todd Gurley ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He was slowed by a quad injury, coach Mark Richt said, after his early 75-yard touchdown run.

While Boyd soared, Murray struggled to move the Bulldogs when it counted most. He led a 64-yard, hurry up drive in the final quarter and his 1-yard TD run cut a 10-point lead to 38-35 with 1:19 left. But Clemson recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to end Georgia's five-game series win streak.

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On This Date: 2013 (8)Clemson - 38 (5)Georgia- 35

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