On This Date: 2006 (12)Clemson - 31 (13)Georgia Tech- 7
Oct 21, 2021, 9:20 AM
10/21/2006 Clemson, SC
Davis, Spiller Lead Clemson Over Ga. Tech Clemson 31, Georgia Tech 7
By Pete Iacobelli Washington Post
CLEMSON, S.C., Oct. 21 -- There's no doubt who's tops in the ACC right now.
James Davis ran for a career-high 216 yards, C.J. Spiller scored two 50-yard touchdowns and No. 12 Clemson held Georgia Tech star Calvin Johnson without a catch for the first time in his career in a surprisingly easy 31-7 victory over the 13th-ranked Yellow Jackets on Saturday night.
Davis, the ACC's leading rusher, got the Tigers' scoring started with a two-yard touchdown run and finished with his seventh career 100-yard rushing game. Spiller added a 50-yard scoring run in the third quarter and answered the Yellow Jackets' only score with a 50-yard catch and run to help Clemson (7-1, 4-1) to its sixth straight victory.
Davis, Spiller and the Tigers' defense turned this one into a runaway. The Tigers clamped down on Johnson, who came in leading the conference with 35 catches for 559 yards.
"It's a pretty good feeling to have running backs like James Davis and C.J. Spiller," Clemson offensive lineman Barry Richardson said. "When you have two backs making plays like they did tonight, it makes us tough to beat."
Johnson made a name for himself as a freshman at Death Valley two years ago, catching three touchdown passes, including the game-winner in the final moments of the Yellow Jackets' 28-24 victory. He entered this one with three straight 100-yard receiving games, all Tech victories, and looked like he would again wreak havoc on the Tigers when he drew a pass interference penalty on Tech's first play.
But that was it. Johnson didn't catch either ball thrown to him in the second half.
Georgia Tech (5-2, 3-1) closed to 17-7 in the fourth quarter when its other receiving Johnson, James, hauled in a 35-yard pass off Clemson defender Crezdon Butler with 13:31 left.
Spiller, a freshman, ended all thoughts of a comeback when he took Will Proctor's flip pass, stopped to let the defenders slide past and headed down the right sideline for the score and a 24-7 lead. Davis finished the scoring, setting up his own five-yard touchdown with a 54-yard run. Davis has 16 touchdowns this season, two shy of Travis Zachery's school record set in 2000.