What to know as Clemson-Georgia game week arrives
The countdown to the Clemson season opener has reached single digits. The Tigers will play Georgia on Saturday night in Charlotte in the most anticipated nonconference game of college football’s opening weekend.
The top-five matchup marks the first meeting between the longtime rivals since 2014. But the game is much more than the rekindling of the rivalry. Clemson does not have any breathing room to open its season. The game provides a huge opportunity for either Georgia or Clemson to have a solid bullet point on its College Football Playoff resume.
That’s just one of the main storylines of this week. ClemsonSports.com has an early breakdown of the matchup and what you need to know.
Georgia vs. Clemson: Game time, details
Georgia leads the all-time series 42–18–4 and has won six of the last seven games against the Tigers. The last time the two teams met was in 2014 in Athens, a 45-21 win for the Bulldogs.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 4
- Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
- TV Channel: ABC
- Weather: High of 89 degrees, mostly sunny
Early Georgia vs. Clemson betting information
Clemson is a 3-point favorite over Georgia, according to Vegas Insider. The over-under has been set at 52 points. The line has been as large as 4.5.
Clemson finished 5-7 against the spread last season. The Tigers were also 2-2 against the spread against ranked opponents. The Tigers were also 0-2 against the spread in nonconference games and 1-1 at neutral sites.
The Bulldogs were 4-6 against the spread last season and 0-2 against the spread at neutral sites. In their only nonconference game, they did not cover.
Three Clemson storylines to watch
- How does D.J. Uiagalelei handle the pressure? The quarterback impressed in his two starts last season when Trevor Lawrence was out in COVID-19 protocol. Now a sophomore, the keys to the Clemson offense are his. Lawrence is off to the NFL, and there is nobody else as talented or skilled as him in the quarterback room. Going into South Bend last year was no cake walk, but Saturday will mark his first start as the guy. If the Tigers are trailing late in the fourth, Uiagalelei will be expected to lead the rally. He aced ACC media days with his calm demeanor and maturity. He’s expected to be the same guy on the field this fall, too. Starting the season off against Georgia gives no room for mistakes, though.
- What does running back rotation look like? Dabo Swinney and C.J. Spiller have not unveiled a pecking order in the running back room yet. Lyn-J Dixon has long thought to be the starter — he has the most experience. But sophomore Kobe Pace has reportedly impressed in camp and freshman Will Shipley was raved about at ACC media days. It won’t be surprising to see any of the three see significant playing time Saturday in Charlotte. Travis Etienne was such a large part of Clemson’s offensive attack, however, that the running back role will be crucial if Clemson beats Georgia.
- How does the secondary hold up? Clemson’s secondary is arguably the group of most concern heading into the season. While the offensive line had plenty of struggles last season, the Tigers seem much more confident about the available depth. The cornerback and safety positions each have talent but plenty of unproven commodities. Will Andrew Mukuba play Saturday? How does the secondary handle JT Daniels and a skilled receiver group? That is not known and could be an X-factor on Saturday night.