CU Medallion [19470]
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On This Date in 1987: (9)Clemson- 33 Georgia Tech- 12
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Sep 26, 2025, 11:04 AM
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09/26/1987
Clemson, SC
Clemson was not known for its kick-return expertise between 1962-87. Heading into the 1987 Georgia Tech game in Death Valley, the Tigers had not returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 25 years and had not returned a punt for a touchdown in 17 years. After a 10-yard punt return by Donnell Woolford in the first quarter, Woolford took a punt after the second Georgia Tech possession at the Clemson 22 and raced 78 yards for a touchdown....on the 1,000th return.
Then in the second half, Joe Henderson sprinted 95 yards for a score on a kickoff return, the first by a Tiger since Hal Davis had a kickoff return for a touchdown against Georgia in 1962.
Clemson Goes a Long Way to Beat Georgia Tech, 33-12
September 27, 1987|L.A. Times Archives
Clemson got off on the right foot Saturday in defense of its Atlantic Coast Conference championship, thanks to some quick feet by its special team players.
Joe Henderson returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and Donnell Woolford scored on a 78-yard punt return at Clemson, S.C., as the No. 9 Tigers defeated Georgia Tech, 33-12.
It was the first time the Tigers have returned a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in the same game.
"We thought Georgia Tech would play the devil out of us, and I think they did," Clemson Coach Danny Ford said. "We made some big plays on them, but sometimes some of you people write that big plays don't count. But they do count because we made them."
Ford said the Tiger offense is still having problems scoring, but he said that doesn't take away from his club's big plays.
"We're not good at getting the football into the end zone right now," he said. "But that's like a guy wrote last week that if you take away . . . two long scoring runs against Virginia Tech, we don't average but 2.3 yards a carry. But you can't do that.
"If you're hunting something to say bad, say this, 'We're not getting the football into the end zone.' But don't make up stats on me."
Clemson didn't need much of an offensive attack Saturday, thanks to the play of Woolford and Henderson.
Henderson's kickoff return was the first for a touchdown since Hal Davis returned one against Georgia on Oct. 13, 1962, a span of 843 kickoffs.
Woolford's first-quarter effort was the first scoring punt return for Clemson since Oct. 31, 1970, when Don Kelley returned a punt 85 yards against Maryland.
Georgia Tech Coach Bobby Ross said the play of Clemson's special teams was the difference.
"If we had played well on special teams, we would have been in the ballgame," Ross said. "But our special teams just totally broke down. Very poor."
The victory by Clemson marks the first time since 1907 that it has beaten Georgia Tech in consecutive seasons. The Tigers are 4-0 this season, while Georgia Tech falls to 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the ACC.
Clemson had a school-record 227 yards in punt returns, breaking the mark of 172 set in the Tigers' season-opening 43-0 victory over Western Carolina.
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