CLEMSON — Clemson football begins its journey to return to the College Football Playoff on Saturday (noon ET, ABC) against No. 1 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Tigers look to carry their five-game win streak to conclude last year into this matchup. Coach Dabo Swinney’s team returns eight starters on offense and three on defense and has added the nation’s 11th-ranked recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Swinney hopes quarterback Cade Klubnik can lift the Tigers’ offense in his second year as a full-time starter under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.
The Bulldogs are a 13.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM. They have posted a 42-2 record over the past three seasons and have won two national championships. Georgia is led by coach Kirby Smart and Heisman candidate quarterback Carson Beck.
If the No. 14-ranked Tigers upset the Bulldogs, it would mark the sixth time in the AP poll’s history that a team has defeated the preseason AP No. 1 in the top-ranked team’s season opener.
Here are three things to know and a score prediction:
Clemson football’s Cade Klubnik looks to show improvement from 2023
Klubnik’s 2023 season was a mixed bag. He threw for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Still, he threw for the fewest yards per attempt (6.3) in the ACC and made critical mistakes in tight situations.
The junior sought improvement this offseason. He attended the Manning Passing Academy to learn from NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning and an Elite 11 camp, where he picked the brain of Super Bowl champion coach Pete Carroll. He also stepped up as a leader, becoming more vocal with his teammates on and off the field.
Klubnik hopes his growth shows up against the Bulldogs, a team that ranked ninth in total defense last year. In order to upset Georgia, he has to make explosive…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clemson-football-vs-georgia-score-090819639.html
Author : Greenville News
Publish date : 2024-08-30 09:08:19
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