Key Takeaways From Clemson's Devastating Loss Against Georgia

After a decisive loss in Week 1 to get Clemson's season underway, there are plenty of things to takeaway about what took place on the field.

Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Wade Woodaz (17) reaches for an incomplete pass against Georgia Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier (3) during the third quarter of the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium / Ken Ruinard - USA TODAY Sports

Clemson had a major opportunity on their hands in Week 1 to make a huge statement about the state of their program and if they were truly national championship contenders when they took on preseason No. 1 Georgia.

After the Bulldogs lost some of their best players to the NFL last year and were facing tons of internal disciplinary issues for some of their current top stars, this was a chance for the Tigers to take advantage of that and shock the world.

Of course, just a few years ago, saying Clemson would be shocking the world by beating anyone would be seen as a laughable statement, but the current state of this program has now made that a reality.

And on Saturday, the Tigers looked about as far from a true contender as they have under Dabo Swinney.

Getting throttled 34-3 was not the way many inside this program had envisioned the opener going.

So, as Clemson now tries to put that performance in their rearview before next week's matchup against Appalachian State, here are the key takeaways from their loss to Georgia.

Cade Klubnik is Not the Answer

All offseason, the word coming out of camp was their junior quarterback had taken a step forward in the second year in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley's system and was ready to live up to his five-star billing coming out of high school.

Instead, he laid another egg.

Klubnik finished 18/29 for just 142 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. His QBR was a measly 40.8 while his completion percentage was 62 percent.

He failed to find receivers when they were open, and continues to look completely overwhelmed when facing top teams in the country.

Depending how the rest of this season goes, it seems like Clemson will still be waiting for another elite quarterback who can get them back to the top of this sport after the eras of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.

Defense is Still Elite

While the score line might not reflect this statement, it's hard for any defense to hold down an offense as talented as Georgia's for the entire game when they are constantly on the field and put in adverse situations.

This might be looking at things like the glass is half full, but it should be remembered that Clemson held the Bulldogs to only six points in the first half, completely shutting down anything they tried to get going early on.

Unfortunately, the dams broke open after a while when their offense could not help them out, causing this score to get out of hand.

Against inferior competition, though, which should be every team they face going forward compared to Georgia, this defense will continue to dominate and be one of the top units in the country once again.

Major Talent Discrepancy

The Tigers have done a great job at recruiting under Swinney, but when they have played in these high-profile games recently, it's clear there is a gap they haven't been able to close.

While Georgia isn't necessarily the best team to compare themselves to since they are best recruiting program in the country, Clemson has also lost to the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Florida State since 2019, while also dropping games against NC State, Pittsburgh, Duke, South Carolina and Miami (FL).

There is no shame in being outplayed by the first group who has been constant national title contenders over the years, and just recently like Tennessee and Florida State, but losing to the latter group is not acceptable for a program like Clemson.

Whether it's their lack of using the transfer portal, reluctance to embrace NIL that has caused top players to go elsewhere, or just not getting the right guy at the most important positions, it's clear the talent gap has shrunk when facing previously inferior teams, while the gap has also widened compared to the true national contenders.