Georgia Bulldogs vs. Clemson Tigers Prediction: Who Wins, and Why

What to expect as Georgia and Clemson meet in this Week 1 college football game, with our updated prediction for the matchup.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Clemson Tigers Football Game Prediction / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Arguably the most consequential game of the opening weekend finds a notable SEC vs. ACC matchup that could have big playoff implications down the road as No. 1 ranked, national title favorite Georgia squares off against No. 14 Clemson in college football's Week 1 action on Saturday.

The expansion of the College Football Playoff no longer makes a loss in a game of this caliber a complete disaster for a national title hopeful, but it still hurts to lose a game of this magnitude.

Especially for Clemson, which just saw its path to an ACC championship, and thus a guaranteed playoff berth, helped by Florida State's loss in Week 0, and facing a schedule considerably more favorable than the one the Bulldogs are yet to embark on.

Georgia, college football's national champion in two of the last three seasons, returns the bulk of an elite roster, including a standout defensive rotation and uber-efficient quarterback Carson Beck, but won't find much rest against an SEC slate that includes road games against the likes of Texas, Alabama, and Ole Miss later on, all preseason AP top 10 ranked opposition.

What can we make of this matchup? Here's what you should watch out for as Georgia and Clemson reunite for the first time since the 2021 season opener, with our updated game prediction.

Georgia vs. Clemson prediction

How to watch

When: Sat., Aug. 31
Time: 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: ABC network

Georgia vs. Clemson game odds

Lines courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Georgia: -12.5 (-105)
Clemson: +12.5 (-115)

Georgia to win: -465
Clemson to win: +360

Over 48.5 points (-110)
Under 48.5 points (-110)

FPI picks: UGA 82.4% | CLEM 17.6%

What to watch for

1. New Dawgs. The departure of Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey to the NFL left open major opportunities to become quarterback Carson Beck's next primary targets. Dominic Lovett, Dillon Bell, and Oscar Delp are ready to take their place in this offense, a rotation that's deep enough to spread the field and make Clemson's coverage defenders really work to keep pace.

Whoever steps up, Beck should find them easily enough. Working behind an NFL-caliber offensive line, the Georgia quarterback paced the SEC with 3,941 yards passing last year and established a school-record with 72 percent completion, scoring 24 times with just six interceptions.

2. Battle at the lines. They're all pretty great, although Georgia's does come out ahead on both offense and defense. The principal matchup is the Bulldogs' protectors against a Clemson front seven that, while it lost key personnel to the NFL, remains one of the nation's most cohesive, led by linebacker Barrett Carter and edge rusher Peter Woods.

Mykel Williams, Smael Mondon, and Nazir Stackhouse form the core of Georgia's stalwart defensive front and should have the advantage when disrupting Clemson's passing attack and throwing quarterback Cade Klubnik progressively out of his rhythm, force him into throwing the ball more and close down running lanes.

3. Clemson's secondary. Dabo Swinney loses four principal defenders from last season's rotation, and overall his defensive backs have had their problems during the school's absence from the playoff. The group still has the speed to keep pace with Georgia's deep field threats, but could grow susceptible to the sheer variety that will be thrown at it over time.

Georgia vs. Clemson prediction

Almost evenly matched on the defensive front, both these teams have the bodies and the speed to slow down their respective opposing offenses early in the game and bring the pace down a little.

But the Bulldogs remain the most overall complete team in college football, and whatever Clemson can do, they can do a little better. Rushing the quarterback. Throwing the ball. Running the ball. Protecting the quarterback. Georgia has the edge in all those phases.

Klubnik and tailback Phil Mafah, who led Clemson in rushing a year ago, are solid offensive weapons who will have room to maneuver thanks to their team's solid pass rush, but the lack of that game-breaking, go-to receiver that has beset this program the last few years is yet to be rectified.

College Football HQ picks...

• Georgia wins 34-24
• Doesn't cover the spread
• And hits the over

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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