Camp is over. It’s time to play ball. Week One is upon us as the 2024 college football season kicks into high gear. Georgia enters the 2024 season with their sights set on another SEC Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs have been preseason darlings when it comes to polls and watchlists. They kick off the season with a familiar foe, the Clemson Tigers. The schools share a common history and are separated by just 70 miles. We have five questions to get you ready for kickoff. Without further adieu, here is your full Georgia vs. Clemson preview.
Five Questions for Georgia vs. Clemson
What Are the Game Details?
Opponent: Clemson Tigers
History: Georgia leads the series 43-18-4
Last meeting: Georgia won 10-3, September 4, 2021
Date and Time: Saturday, August 31 | noon ET
Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia.
Television: ABC/ESPN+
Spread: Georgia -13
Over/Under: 48.5
Get your wallpaper set for week one!
#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/KOj3Ziguma
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) August 27, 2024
What Do We Need to Know About Clemson?
What is Clemson’s identity in 2024? Fans and media are curious. With two national titles, six College Football Playoff appearances, and eight ACC championships, Dabo Swinney is Clemson’s winningest coach. However, the landscape of college football is shifting. Swinney has been openly critical of NIL and, to put it mildly, has been hesitant to embrace the Transfer Portal fully. Clemson comes into the game an almost two-touchdown underdog, ranked 13th in the country. Clemson was 9-4 last year and a disappointing 4-4 in ACC play. The Tigers have seen Flordia State and some in the media select North Carolina State to surpass them in 2024. That’s not to say Kirby Smart and Georgia should take the Tigers lightly. Swinney has a strong culture and continues to recruit well.
Two names to watch on Saturday for the Tigers:
- Cade Klubnik: The Tiger quarterback enters year two as the starter in Garret Riley’s offense. Riley worked wonders at SMU and TCU as a play-caller but struggled to help the Tigers find consistency on offense. The Tigers ranked No. 50 in the country last year on offense.
- Wes Goodwin: Not a player, but the second-year defense helped to keep Clemson among the elite of college football. The Tigers ranked No. 10 last year in total defense. Linebacker Barrett Carter (67 tackles) and safety R.J. Mickens (50 tackles) lead an experienced Tiger defense.
What Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Offense?
Who will join Carson Beck on offense? Smart provided an update on the running back position during this week’s press conference. Roderick Robinson II recently underwent surgery for a toe injury. He isn’t expected to play against the Tigers and is considered “week to week.” The bigger question is Trevor Etienne’s status. The Florida transfer, a key December Portal acquisition, is slated to be RB1 this season. However, Etienne was arrested during Spring camp on charges of DUI, reckless driving, and three other misdemeanors.
Smart remained noncommittal about Etienne’s availability for Saturday. If Etienne is sidelined, sophomore Branson Robinson will likely step in as Georgia’s top tailback. Robinson, ESPN’s top running back prospect in the 2022 class, missed the entire 2023 season recovering from a ruptured patella tendon but has practiced without limitations in preseason camp. Former walk-on Cash Jones is also expected to share some of the carries.
Preseason Watch List – 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫
Branson Robinson#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/AGZ93wz2MG
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) August 7, 2024
What Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Defense?
Build a wall. This is the philosophy of Smart’s defenses at Georgia and Alabama. It started with the big men up front, which was noticeably missing in 2024. If Georgia will build that wall again in 2024, look no further than No. 78 on the defensive line, Nazir Stackhouse. The Senior from Stone Mountain, Georgia, is entering his third year as a starter at Georgia. Stackhouse bypassed the draft last year to improve his stock. He was posted to the Outland Trophy watchlist and will be expected to anchor the Georgia front.
Who Will Come Out on Top?
It’s time for Georgia to make a statement. They have plenty of talent in Columbus, but just as many questions about their head coach. If Georgia is going to plant their flag as the standard bearer in college football in 2024, it starts in Atlanta. Nobody wants to see another 10-7 matchup like we did a few years ago. Instead, fans should expect the Bulldogs to make a statement as they did two years ago when they opened the season by dismantling Oregon. It’s time for Georgia to do the same on Saturday afternoon.
42 Georgia vs. Clemson 14
The post Between the Hedges: Five Questions for Georgia vs. Clemson appeared first on Last Word on College Football.