Does Clemson have what it takes to upset No. 1 Georgia? 4 things to watch (2024)

CLEMSON— CornerbackA.J. Terrell, the Clemson alum, was fresh off of a beatdown of his Falcons teammate Lorenzo Carter, a Georgia grad, in a game of EA Sports College Football 25.

The score: Clemson 50, Georgia 8.

So when Terrell was asked to predict the result of a noon kickoff between No. 1 Georgia and No. 14 Clemson on Aug. 31— a day in which the Atlanta native will be an honorary captain— he had a similar level of confidence in the real Tigers.

"Fifty to zero," Terrell said.

"FIFTY," he repeated, "to zero."

Obviously, this was just banter, just a final soundbite in "talkin' season," as what's real and what isn't about Clemson and Georgia nears a reveal.

Talk of the Tigers' improved offense, and a championship-level defense, has to be certified. And not many are as firmly in Clemson's corner as Terrell.

For the first time in almost a decade, Clemson isn't a preseason top-10 team. For the first time since 2012 versus Florida State, the Tigers are a nearly two-touchdown underdog.A preseason No. 1 hasn't lost in an opener since 1990.

That score prediction from Terrell, whose younger brother, Avieon, is a sophom*ore corner at Clemson, was admittedly an emotional discharge. He scaled back his optimism, offering a Tiger win but only by a score of 28-21.

"Ain't a better way to kick off the 2024 season with me walking out with (Avieon) on the big stage, big game, at our (the Falcons) home stadium," Terrell said, "and getting it off the right way."

Will the Tigers do just that? Here are four things to watch as Clemson tries to follow confident talk with an encouraging performance.

See it, believe it

Reviews of Clemson's offense this fall have been unanimous in their positivity.

But only the Tigers' coaches and players have been able to offer perspective, because few from outside the program's walls have seen anything. Scrimmages were closed. Viewing periods in camp were devoid of 11-on-11 action.

Remember, it was just a year ago that Clemson was buzzing about the potential of Garrett Riley's "Dirt Raid" scheme. And it didn't really take off.

Cade Klubnik's purported progress in Year 2, the offensive line's transformation under Matt Luke, the receiver corps' infusion of playmaking— all of it has to be seen to be believed after such a prolonged lack of explosiveness.

No one better than Georgia's talented defense, led by safety Malaki Starks and defensive lineman Mykel Williams, to test the Tigers' thesis. Or debunk it.

First crack at the buffet

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said senior running back Phil Mafahwill have an all-he-can-eat buffet of carries this season. The success of Mafah's first splurge might determine the Tigers' success.

They certainly don't want Carson Beck and, potentially, Georgia running back Trevor Etienne— whose status is uncertain following an offseason DUI arrest— too many opportunities to possess the ball.

It took several weeks for Clemson to get its running game going in 2024, including a season-high 186 yards for Mafah on a whopping 36 carries against Notre Dame with Will Shipley out.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Georgia native seems to get stronger as games go. If a deeper offensive line— plus another battering ram in Keith Adams Jr.— can soften the the Bulldog defense, that could help keep the Tigers on schedule and Beck and Co. off the field.

If Mafah has trouble gaining traction, the burden on Klubnik's shoulder might become unbearable. Especially with someone like the 6-5, 265-pound Williams coming off the edge in pass-rushing situations.

Beck vs. a banged-up secondary?

It's not especially clear if this is the case, because Swinney has been particularly cagey about cornerbacks Shelton Lewis and Jeadyn Lukus' availability heading into the opener.

"We're all day-to-day around here. Everybody," Swinney said with some humor. "Just hoping we'll get another day tomorrow."

Swinney likely understands why there is such intense interest in Lewis and Lukus, given the Tigers are about to face a "Heisman quarterback," in his own words. Swinney just isn't giving Beck any heads up about what he'll face.

On the flip side, Clemson knows all about Beck, who completed 72.4 percent of his passes last season for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns. He's just an incredibly accurate passer, and even though he rushed for just 126 yards last season, Swinney said Beck is "opportunistic" in that phase.

Clearly, this wouldn't be a great day to be missing Lewis or Lukus. Or both.

If it's the latter scenario, it's likely you'll see a freshman, probably Ashton Hampton, starting against the No. 1 team in the country, and arguably the nation's No. 1 quarterback, in his first career game.

Big gulp.

Fresh kicks

What might cause the average Clemson fan to take an even bigger gulp?

The prospect of throwing a true freshman kicker, like Clemson's Nolan Hauser, into a tight game to attempt a high-stakes field goal.

But Swinney isn't the average person. He's never been afraid to throw a freshman into the fire, if he believes they are the best option. And coming out of fall camp, Hauser had more kicks go through the uprights than Robert Gunn III.

"It's not subjective," Swinney said.

Hauser isn't the average freshman, because he graduated high school with the national record for the most field goals in a career with 66. He's made plenty of kicks in his life, including 80-plus percent in fall camp.

Will it matter to him that he's kicking in an NFL stadium, in front of a sold-out and potentially pro-Georgia crowd, against the No. 1 team in the nation?

Swinney might appear unconcerned, but it would be completely rational for anyone else to wonder how this might go. Especially after Gunn's struggles in the opener at Duke last year.

Prediction

Georgia 27, Clemson 14