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On Saturday, two teams that have claimed four of the last seven FBS college football national championships will face each other in a top-25 matchup when No. 14 Clemson meets No. 1 Georgia.
It will be another battle of the Southeast as the ACC and SEC square off in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But the question is, has the matchup lost some of its luster?
While Georgia just missed out on making the top four in last year’s College Football Playoff, which would have given them a shot at a three-peat for another national title, Clemson hasn’t made the playoff since 2021. The Tigers have lost seven games since then, while the Bulldogs have lost just two.
The 2021 season was also the last time these two teams faced off in a non-conference season opener. Though it wasn’t the most memorable showing for either, the Bulldogs walked away with a 10-3 victory in Charlotte, North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium. Overall, the Bulldogs own the Tigers with a 27-7-1 record lifetime. Clemson’s last win against Georgia came back in August 2013.
This game will be just the start of what will be a brutal schedule for Georgia in 2024, as they’ll face five preseason top-25 opponents. Even though a non-conference loss is a bit more manageable this season given the structure of the new 12-team playoff field, the Bulldogs are hoping for a strong start against one of the ACC’s best. With that said, let’s get into some bold predictions for Georgia against Clemson.
Georgia Football will have at least a 10-point lead after the first half
Georgia was one of the better first-half teams in the country last season, averaging 22.2 points in the first half. In two of their games against then top-25-ranked opponents, they failed to meet this mark, scoring 10 points or less. In the other three, they averaged 28.6.
This year’s Bulldogs team has just as good a chance of doing similar to their opponents, starting with the Tigers on Saturday. Quarterback Carson Beck will be back and looking to add to his impressive campaign from last year, as he is an early Heisman Trophy candidate.
It should be noted, however, that Clemson was one of the best teams in the country last year, ranked sixth in first-half points allowed (7.6). But they didn’t face many teams built like the Bulldogs.
Georgia’s defense will cause two turnovers against Clemson
As good as Georgia’s defense was last year, creating turnovers wasn’t their specialty. Their defense averaged just 1.2 takeaways per game, which ranked 104th nationally. However, Clemson was doing very un-Clemson-like things and making turnovers at will, it seemed. Their offense averaged 1.7 giveaways per game, ranking 101st.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik was a big reason for the Tigers' abundance of turnovers last year. He threw nine interceptions but also fumbled 10 times, losing four. Georgia had one of its best seasons in years in interceptions, creating 14. The turnovers might not just come from Klubnik, but expect the Bulldogs to create some.
Carson Beck has excellent start to Heisman campaign, throwing for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns
As mentioned, Carson Beck is expected to have a huge year for Georgia. He quietly did last season, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 24 touchdowns to six interceptions. He threw for 300 yards in five games last season. He’ll look for his first of 2024 against a top-15 Clemson team.
Georgia beats Clemson and never loses the lead all game
When these teams last faced off, it looked as if both were on an even playing field. It just doesn’t feel that way this time. That’s not saying Clemson is a bad team; it’s just that they aren’t what they were three years ago. Meanwhile, Georgia has become an absolute powerhouse and the top of the food chain in college football.
If Georgia jumps out to an early lead, especially by two scores, that may be too much for Clemson to overcome. Georgia and Kirby Smart start off 1-0, likely on their way to another national title run, while Clemson and Dabo Swinney are left to figure out their place in the new era of college football.
*Stats provided by Team Rankings and Sports Reference.
