Football to face Clemson at MBS

Tech’s defense swarms the Tigers in the waning moments of last year’s matchup, forcing a safety with mere seconds left. The stop gave the Jackets a chance to win, though they fell just short, 14–8. // Photo by Taylor Gray Student Publications

As the new school year kicks off, students have been waiting for this very moment: the start of the football season. In just a few days, the Jackets will be facing the Clemson Tigers at Mercedes Benz Stadium on Monday, Sept. 5 as this year’s edition of their Mayhem at Mercedes Benz Stadium series. 

Starting off the season on Labor Day, the two teams will go against each other in the 2022 Chick-fil-A Kickoff game. For the first time in Chick-fil-A Kickoff game history, two ACC teams will be facing each other. 

Rather than being held at Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium, the match will be held at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Home to the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, Mercedes Benz Stadium is just a short drive from the campus and can hold around 70,000 fans. 

Built in 2017, the stadium will be celebrating five years since opening. From College Football Playoff championship games to a Super Bowl, the stadium has held many major events within its walls. Now, the start of the 2022 Tech football team’s season is about to occur in one of the biggest venues in the nation. With the first game being held at a national venue, players can put in all their focus and strive for the first win of the season.

The Clemson Tigers ended their last season third in the Atlantic and are expected to be hard opponents for the Jackets. Matchup predictions on ESPN forecast a 94.3% chance of the Clemson Tigers winning. In school history, the Jackets have gone against the Tigers a total of 86 games. Although the Tigers have a seven-game winning streak since 2015, Tech has won 50 times while the Tigers have only won 34 times and two games between the two teams have ended as a tie. 

However, with football season right around the corner, the pressure has been put upon the football team —  will the Jackets be able to overcome the challenges from past seasons? Along with improving a struggling line from last season, the key to having a strong season is focusing on decreasing the number of turnovers. For an improved offense to make an impact, the defense will also need to step up. For the past three years, the Tech football team has been under the leadership of Geoff Collins and fans anticipate to see his hard work show in his fourth season with the Jackets. 

Although fans hope for a better season, the 2022 season is packed with challenging teams. Almost half of the teams the Jackets will be facing have had at least nine wins in the last season, while Tech only recorded three wins this past season. From UCF to Clemson, each opponent will be a challenging match, but the team will have to push through and go beyond their limits to win against these hard opponents. 

With Clemson being their first opponent, the start to the season will be a test for the Jackets. Will Tech be able to overcome the challenges and break the streak against the Tigers? Follow the action on Monday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. 

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