ESPN Names How Georgia Could Lose Season Opener Against Clemson

No. 1 Georgia will take on No. 14 Clemson in Atlanta on Aug. 31. for one of the most high-profile season openers of the 2024 college football season.

Kirby Smart's Bulldogs haven't lost a regular season game since November 7, 2020 (Florida) and have won two national titles in the last three seasons. On the other side, Dabo Swinney's Tigers are coming off an uncharacteristic 9-4 season after 12-straight seasons of 10 wins or more.

The last time the two met came in the 2021 season opener, a defensive battle that ended with a 10-7 Georgia win, thanks to a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs went on to win their first national title since 1980.

Oddsmakers favor UGA heavily in the matchup with Georgia currently listed as a 13.5-point favorite over Clemson. It's not a surprising line considering the return of Heisman hopeful quarterback Carson Beck, a stout offensive line and one of the top defenses in the sport.

But we've witnessed plenty of major upsets in college football. ESPN's Tom Luginbill see's one way for the Tigers to pull a win off in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and it comes down to the play of junior quarterback Cade Klubnik.

"I want to see the Cade Klubnik that we saw in the bowl game last year…," Luginbill said on 'College Football Live'. "I want to see efficiency. I want to see leadership. I want to see them have the ability to push the ball down field far more than they could a year ago."

Klubnik was inconsistent in his first year as a starter in 2023. The former five-star prospect did finish the season strong, though, leading the Tigers to five-straight wins, including a victory over Kentucky in the Gator Bowl. Clemson overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to take down the Wildcats.

Clemson returns the majority of the production from a defense that finished No. 8 in the country last season, putting most of the pressure on Klubnik and second-year coordinator Garrett Riley to make improvements, especially in stretching the field.

The Tigers brought a pair of talented wide receivers in the class of 2024 in five-star signee TJ Moore and four-star Bryant Wesco. If these young deep-threats can make a difference against a tough UGA secondary, and Klubnik can show consistency, Clemson could give Georgia a fight for 60 minutes, according to Luginbill.

"I believe that Clemson got faster through recruiting," Luginbill said. "TJ Moore (and) Bryant Wesco at wide receiver. And if they stay healthy, and we see that Cade Klubnik, this is gonna be a heck of a football game that will go deep in the fourth quarter."

Kickoff in Atlanta is set for Aug. 31 at noon ET (ABC).

Related: Kirby Smart, Georgia Suffer Unfortunate Setback Weeks Before Season