ATLANTA -- The halftime stats were almost comical. Clemson looked as though it was going against the scout team, not a fellow Atlantic Coast Conference school.Finally, the sort of performance everyone has been expecting from the No. 5 Tigers.Deshaun Watson threw for 304 yards, including a pair of touchdowns during a dominant first half that carried Clemson to a 26-7 victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday night.After sluggish wins over Auburn and Troy, and a practice-like rout of FCS school South Carolina State that meant nothing, the Tigers (4-0, 1-0 ACC) won at Georgia Tech for the first time since 2003 to set up a huge showdown with No. 3 Louisville.We came in focused that first half, Watson said. We just wanted to finish the deal.Watson threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams and a 9-yarder to Jordan Leggett with just 4 seconds left before halftime to complete a stunningly lopsided showing that wasnt entirely reflected in the 23-0 lead. Wayne Gallman added a 1-yard TD run.At halftime, Clemson was up 347-22 lead in total yards and 19-3 in first downs, having run 56 plays to only 21 for the home team. Georgia Tech (3-1, 1-1) was outgained 442-124 overall.Its been a long time since weve won here, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. Well take it.This was a virtual repeat of last years meeting at Clemson, where the Tigers raced to a 33-10 halftime lead on the way to a 43-24 victory. Both times, they totally dominated the line of scrimmage.Theyve done it to us two years in a row up front, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. They kicked our butts.Clemson backed off over the final two quarters, and the Yellow Jackets avoided their first home shutout since 1957 when Dedrick Mills scored on a 2-yard run with 13:21 remaining.Even when Georgia Tech came up with a big play, it wound up costing points. Lance Austin intercepted a pass in the end zone and tried to bring it out -- only to be whacked inadvertently by teammate Corey Griffin, knocking the ball loose.Austin fell on it in the end zone, but that was a safety for Clemson. It was a far cry from a prime-time game last season, when the defensive back returned a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play to give Georgia Tech a stunning victory of Florida State.There wouldnt be an upset on this night.THE TAKEAWAYClemson: Dont read too much into the sluggish showing in the second half. It was only natural that the Tigers let down a bit after dominating the first two quarters. For sure, this was just the sort of confidence-boosting performance that Clemson needed heading into their game against Louisville.Georgia Tech: After opening with three straight wins over mediocre opposition, the Yellow Jackets dont seem to have made much improvement over last years 3-9 debacle. Johnsons triple-option offense was totally manhandled and increasingly looks like a gimmick that other teams have figured out. Poor recruiting seems to have caught up with the Yellow Jackets when they face elite competition.INSIDE THE NUMBERSClemson ran more plays in the first half than Georgia Tech did in the entire game (52). Even more troubling for the Yellow Jackets, 19 of their plays failed to gain or lost yards. The Tigers finished with 82 plays.RARE CHEERSThe home crowd did get a chance to cheer a couple of times in the first half. It didnt have anything to do with the game.New athletic director Todd Stansbury , a former Georgia Tech football player whose hiring was announced earlier in the day, was introduced during the first quarter. Another alum, pro golfer Matt Kuchar, received loud applause when he came out during a break wearing his Olympic bronze medal.POLL IMPLICATIONSAfter slipping a bit in the rankings off their first two wins, the Tigers should stay right where they are -- maybe even move up a spot or two -- when the Associated Press poll comes out next week.UP NEXTClemson: When Louisville visits Death Valley on Oct. 1, it will have all the makings of a national playoff game. Assuming the Cardinals (3-0) get by Marshall on Saturday night, two unbeaten powerhouses will meet to establish the pecking order atop the ACC.Georgia Tech: No. 15 Miami (3-0) and longtime nemesis Mark Richt visit Bobby Dodd Stadium on Oct. 1. Richt is in his first season as the Hurricanes coach after 15 years at Georgia, where he went 13-2 against the Yellow Jackets.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org Custom Lakers T-shirts . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Authentic Custom Lakers Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. http://www.customlakersjersey.com/ .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Wholesale Custom Lakers Shirts . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Derek Fisher Jersey Large .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. LOS ANGELES -- Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew is preparing to receive a new heart and undergo a kidney transplant.His wife, Rhonda, confirmed the procedures on Thursday through the American Heart Association News.The 71-year-old former hitting star has struggled with heart issues since September 2015, when he had a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest while undergoing a procedure to open clogged arteries.A machine has kept Carew alive since he nearly died 15 months ago. Doctors say the kidney transplant will improve his chances for a strong recovery.After his heart attack, Carew was diagnosed with extreme heart failure, with his heart too weak to pump blood to the rest of his body. Doctors implanted into his chest a left ventricular assist device that took over the hearts pumping duties.The procedure allowed Carew to resume his life, and he toured the country last summer to boost awareness and prevention of heart disease.dddddddddddd He attended spring training with the Minnesota Twins and appeared at the All-Star Game in San Diego, where the AL batting title was named in his honor.Carew played from 1967 to 1985 for the Twins and California Angels. He was a seven-time American League batting champion and first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame.After returning home from the Hall of Fame ceremony in July, Carew was hospitalized and doctors recommended a new heart.Rhonda Carew says the family appreciates the publics thoughts and prayers for her husband and his medical team. She expressed sympathy and appreciation to the donors family.Twins president Dave St. Peter says the team shares its thoughts and prayers with the Carews and the family of the donor. ' ' '