‘Criticism Will Only Get Louder’ if Clemson Plays Poorly Against Georgia

Clemson will have a big test on Saturday when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs.

Clemson football Head Coach Dabo Swinney speaks during a press conference at the Smart Family Media Center in Clemson, S.C., Tuesday, August 27, 2024. Clemson plays the University of Georgia at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, August 31, at noon. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

The college football season is almost here for Clemson, and it's an exciting time for the players and fan base.

Clemson has the toughest Week 1 matchup in the country as they take on Georgia.

After their most disappointing campaign in a very long time a year ago, it'll be interesting to see how they respond. 

While losing to Georgia wouldn't indicate that the Tigers are a bad team, there's a lot on the line. If Clemson goes to Atlanta on Saturday and gets blown out by the Bulldogs, it'd be a very discouraging sign. 

At the very least, Clemson needs to keep it respectable. Even if they lose 21-17, they wouldn't leave with a bad taste in their mouths.

Losing is never acceptable at Clemson, but it just goes to show how good Georgia is. There's a reason why they're the consensus No. 1 team in America entering the season. 

Despite how good they are, Justin Williams of The Athletic believes that "the criticism will only get louder" if Clemson gets dismantled by Georgia.

"This is a top-15 matchup between two teams that account for four of the last eight national championships … Dabo Swinney might be the most scrutinized coach not named Deion because of it, despite his history of success. Either way, the recent drop-off is concerning, and the criticism will only get louder if Clemson can’t hang with a Georgia squad that appears stacked and hungry after missing out on a chance to three-peat in 2023. This should be a fun measuring stick game to see just how dominant the Bulldogs can be, or if Clemson has a little more in the tank than it’s getting credit for."

If Clemson doesn't compete in this game, Dabo Swinney and the players will certainly hear about it. That's a given.

It ultimately doesn't determine how the remainder of their campaign will play out. If they lose to Georgia, it could hurt their College Football Playoff chances. However, with the ACC getting an automatic bid for the winner of the ACC Championship Game, they'd still control their own destiny.

At the very least, this should be a great test for Clemson. If they prove to be on the same level as a team like Georgia, they'll be viewed as the favorite in the ACC.

If not, and they struggle for another year, some changes will likely have to be made.