No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson: How to watch, preview, series history
These are the biggest stadiums in college football
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5:07 pm, August 27, 2024
📺 How to watch Georgia and Clemson
Clemson's Cade Klubnik (left) and Georgia's Carson Beck (right) will lead their teams under center.
- 🗓️ Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
- ⏰ Time: 12 p.m. ET
- 📺 TV: ABC
- 💻 Stream:
- 📍 Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
6:26 pm, August 27, 2024
📝 Game Preview
Offseason changes
- 🐶 Georgia
- The Bulldogs lost eight players to the 2024 NFL draft, including the only two-time Mackey Award winner Brock Bowers at tight end.
- Kirby Smart's squad returned seven of its 11 defensive starters from last season, highlighted by First Team All-American safety Malaki Starks.
- Returned Heisman favorite Carson Beck at quarterback, but the Bulldogs dipped into the transfer portal for a new running back, acquiring Florida transfer Trevor Etienne.
- 🐯 Clemson
- The Tigers lost six players to the draft, including running back Will Shipley. Shipley was one of three players in the nation to record over 1,200 all-purpose yards each season from 2021-23.
- Dabo Swinney's squad returned eight starters on offense, but just three on defense. However, preseason All-American linebacker Barrett Carter stayed for his senior season and should provide a spark for a young defensive core.
- The Tigers are still led under center by junior Cade Klubnik, but they will look to replace Shipley with 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior Phil Mafah at running back.
Barrett Carter and Peter Woods were named Monday to the watch list for the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award.
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB)
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Familiar Foes
This will be the fourth time these two teams have opened the season against one another since 2013. Kirby Smart is 8-0 in season openers — and Georgia is 10-0 in the past decade. The Bulldogs' last loss in a season opener was to the Tigers, 38-35, in 2013.
5:20 pm, August 27, 2024
⚔️ Series History
Georgia and Clemson have faced off five times since 2000, all in season openers. Clemson's only win came in 2013.
- Aug. 31, 2002: Georgia 31, Clemson 28
- Aug. 30, 2003: Georgia 30, Clemson 0
- Aug. 31, 2013: Clemson 38, Georgia 35
- Aug. 30, 2014: Georgia 45, Clemson 21
- Sept. 4, 2021: Georgia 10, Clemson 3
Let's take a look at two of those big games:
- 2021: Georgia 10, Clemson 3
- The last time these two historic programs matched up, both defenses shined. Georgia's Christopher Smith provided the only touchdown of the season opener with a 74-yard pick-six.
- There were just 436 yards of total offense between both teams. This would end up being the closest regular season game the Bulldogs played all season, outscoring every remaining opponent by at least three touchdowns.
GEORGIA 74-YARD PICK-SIX TO THE 🏠
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— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
- 2013: Clemson 38, Georgia 35
- The last time Clemson beat Georgia was a completely different game than their 2021 matchup. The two top-10 ranked teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense.
- Clemson's quarterback Tajh Boyd tallied five total touchdowns in the statement win, but the Tigers' loss to the eventual national champions, Florida State, thwarted their title hopes later in the season.
Border rivalry of the 1980s
- Brief history
- These two programs sit just 70 miles apart, and the two played every season from 1973 to 1987, creating an intense rivalry between two of the top teams of the '80s.
- 1980: Georgia 20, Clemson 16
- These two powerhouses met up early in the 1980 season, and Georgia would squeeze out a four-point win en route to an undefeated season capped off with the national championship.
- 1981: Clemson 13, Georgia 3
- The following year, Clemson was more than prepared for Georgia's offense, as the Tigers forced 9 turnovers against the Bulldogs. This win sparked Clemson to make its own undefeated national championship run just one year after the Bulldogs.
- Total
- Every game between 1979 and 1987 was decided by a touchdown or less, including a 16-16 tie in 1983.
5:02 pm, August 27, 2024
🏈 Preseason AP Top 25 Poll rankings
Here is the full AP Top 25 Poll heading into Week 1. Georgia and Clemson are in bold.
| Rank | School | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia (46) | 1,532 |
| 2 | Ohio State (15) | 1,490 |
| 3 | Oregon (1) | 1,403 |
| 4 | Texas | 1,386 |
| 5 | Alabama | 1,260 |
| 6 | Ole Miss | 1,189 |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 1,122 |
| 8 | Penn State | 1,060 |
| 9 | Michigan | 995 |
| 10 | Florida State | 971 |
| 11 | Missouri | 927 |
| 12 | Utah | 887 |
| 13 | LSU | 804 |
| 14 | Clemson | 689 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 629 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 566 |
| 17 | Oklahoma State | 538 |
| 18 | Kansas State | 526 |
| 19 | Miami (FL) | 492 |
| 20 | Texas A&M | 292 |
| 21 | Arizona | 237 |
| 22 | Kansas | 231 |
| 23 | Southern Cal | 172 |
| 24 | North Carolina State | 171 |
| 25 | Iowa | 140 |
Others receiving votes: Louisville 111, Virginia Tech 77, Boise St. 47, SMU 33, Iowa St. 33, Liberty 32, Washington 23, West Virginia 17, Memphis 16, Nebraska 16, Wisconsin 15, UTSA 6, Tulane 5, Appalachian St. 4, Kentucky 3, Auburn 2, Colorado 1.