Clemson’s trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium comes with a major challenge: the injury list keeps swelling. The latest blow is wide receiver Antonio Williams, who won’t dress after a lingering hamstring problem. Losing their most polished pass catcher forces the Tigers to reshuffle again on offense.
The absences don’t stop there. Just before kickoff, three names were added. Reporter Pete Nakos broke on X, formerly Twitter.
“Clemson will be without starters on Saturday at Georgia Tech: wideout Antonio Williams, safety Khalil Barnes, and left tackle Tristan Leigh, per the Tigers’ injury report,” Nakos wrote.
For Klubnik and the Tigers, the problems seem to keep mounting with every passing game week. Without Williams, the sophomore quarterback is missing his most targeted option on the outside. Things don't end there; the offense is on even shakier legs with receivers such as Juju Preston, Sam Earle, and Tristan Martinez all out for the Georgia Tech matchup.
Tyler Brown now faces the burden of carrying this Clemson offense along with his tight ends. If the Tigers want to put up a fight against the Yellow Jackets, Brown and co. will have to pull off one of the biggest carry jobs of the season. Dabo Swinney has found himself in a lot of trouble very early on in the season, the kind of trouble that can make or break their campaign.
The backfield sees similar complications. Jarvis Green, Peyton Streko, and Jay Haynes will not be available, leaving Clemson with very limited options to balance the offense. That makes clock management and sustaining drives in their ACC opener a serious concern.
Altogether, 15 players are sidelined for this matchup. The roster holes affect nearly every unit, including receivers, running backs, offensive linemen, and several other defensive contributors. It’s not the kind of attrition head coach Dabo Swinney wanted heading into one of Clemson’s oldest rivalries.
History favors the Tigers in recent years. They’ve beaten Georgia Tech nine straight times, but the series itself has always been tightly contested. The Yellow Jackets still hold the edge in the all-time tally, and Saturday may present their best chance in a decade to snap the streak.
For Clemson, this game isn’t just about keeping a rivalry streak alive; it’s about proving their depth can hold under fire. The Tigers arrive in Atlanta short-handed and under pressure, with the ACC schedule only getting tougher from here.
