Clemson-Georgia football burning questions answered, plus predictions on who wins
The (Columbia) State’s Clemson beat writer Alexis Cubit joints The (Macon) Telegraph’s Georgia writer Brandon Sudge to answer key questions around Saturday night’s game between the Tigers and Bulldogs (7:30 p.m., ABC) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
1. What do each of the quarterbacks possess that could cause problems for the opposing defense?
▪ Brandon Sudge: JT Daniels is your prototypical pocket passer with arm talent to throw it to targets at all levels. Daniels wowed Georgia fans in four games after fully recovering from a knee injury, and now he gets to play in the biggest game of his career. The oddsmakers have Daniels as a Heisman contender, and he’s got an increased rapport with offensive coordinator Todd Monken and an enhanced understanding of the playbook.
▪ Alexis Cubit: During the preseason, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said sophomore quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, also an early Heisman hopeful, has the most arm talent of the Tigers’ recent quarterbacks. Uiagalelei’s 6-foot-5 stature alone makes him a nightmare, but the fact that he knows what to do with it along with having a generous supply of receivers could be a challenge for Georgia’s defense.
2. How much of a factor will the run game play for each offense?
▪ BS: Georgia wants to run at a higher frequency than it did last season, which is saying something for an offense that already prides itself on utilizing the backfield. Kirby Smart oozed optimism with his running back corps given the experience. Expect to see a deep rotation with Zamir White, James Cook, Kendall Milton and Kenny McIntosh all getting touches.
Georgia’s defensive front will also cause problems for Clemson’s run game. I wouldn’t expect Lyn-J Dixon and Co. to have too much success on the ground.
▪ AC: Georgia has a strong history of talented running backs and this year will be no different. I see the Tigers needing to stop the run as much as possible to give themselves a chance. In contrast, Clemson will have a new starting running back with the room being relatively young. It has to grow up quickly to give the Tigers’ offense versatility, which won’t be an easy feat against Georgia’s 2020 top-ranked rush defense.
3. What does a win or loss mean for each team?
▪ BS: This is pretty similar for each team, because Georgia and Clemson are playoff contenders and favorites to appear in the conference championship game. For the Bulldogs, it means that it can’t trip up the rest of the way — including against Florida or any other so-called trap game. A loss to Clemson also means that Georgia must overcome the daunting hurdle of Alabama in the SEC title game, which it hasn’t been able to do yet.
▪ AC: Every team would love to start the season off with a win because it provides positive momentum right away. For Clemson and Georgia, due to the nature of their remaining schedules, a win almost guarantees an undefeated regular season and conference championship appearance. On the other side, a loss for either will sting, but gives that team a chance to evaluate and get stronger for the rest of the season, which it’ll likely win out.
4. How do the two defensive lines compare to one another?
▪ BS: Georgia’s defensive front is among the most experienced in the country. Jalen Carter is the young kid as a sophomore, but everyone else has plenty of experience. It’s led by Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt in the middle, then veterans Adam Anderson, Nolan Smith and Travon Walker flying in from the outside. This is truly a matchup of elite fronts.
▪ AC: Clemson returns nine official starters with others who have at least one start on their resume and got back Justin Foster, who was out last year dealing with COVID-19 complications. This deep group has a mix of youthful and experienced players, drawing comparisons to the Tigers’ highly touted 2018 defensive line. Three of those linemen were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. Georgia, too, returns a talented, deep cast that only gave up 72.3 rushing yards per game last year, the best in the country. That starts with Jordan Davis, an all-SEC preseason first-team pick, Devonte Wyatt and Jalen Carter, who is expected to have a breakout season after coming on toward the end of last year as a freshman.
5. What is your game prediction?
▪ BS: Georgia’s front wins this game. The cliche lives true, the Bulldogs make Clemson more one-dimensional than it would like to be and wins in a thriller. Georgia wins, 35-31.
▪ AC: Defense will be the real winner here, but in terms of a team, Clemson will win in a down-to-the-wire thriller, 21-20, similar to the 2013 season opener.
