The 2024 Clemson Football season is less than two months away, and the Tigers are ready to get things started.
The Tigers ended last year with a 9-4 record, which included a five-game winning streak to close out the season and, as usual, expectations are high for this fall.
Can Clemson meet those expectations. Everyone will find out in Week 1, when the Tigers take on the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
What better way for Clemson to show its stuff than against the 2021 and 2022 National Champions?
The Bulldogs certainly are different from what they were in their championship years.
OFFENSE
Now under control at quarterback, Carson Beck leads the helm against the Tigers in his junior year after putting up nearly 4,000 yards and 24 touchdowns last year to just six interceptions.
Since last year, the Bulldogs lost some key players to the NFL Draft, including star tight end Brock Bowers, who led the Bulldogs in receiving last year, and was drafted 13th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. While they still have tight end Oscar Delp, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound sophomore, as their new starter, it will undoubtedly be a change to the immense talent and impact that Bowers had.
Despite losing Bowers and receivers Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and running backs Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards, Georgia has 10 positions that have players who started at least seven games in 2023.
The Bulldogs also added transfers like tight end Benjamin Yurosek from Stanford and running back Trevor Etienne from Florida.
Georgia also returns wide receivers Dominic Lovett, RaRa Thomas and Arian Smith and running back Roderick Robinson. On the offensive line, the Bulldogs return four of their five starters.
DEFENSE
Though the Bulldogs have to replace five starters on defense, including two starters in the secondary, they do not lack talent.
Georgia has potential All-Americans like defensive end Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks back, and incoming recruits such as linebacker Jalon Walker, mean the Bulldogs should have a potent defense again this year.
Cornerback Daylen Everette joins Starks in the secondary after starting all 14 games last season. Look for freshmen Ellis Robinson and KJ Bolden to be in the mix on the back end of the defense as well.
The Bulldogs return two starters up front and two at linebacker. However, on the defensive line and at linebacker, every player on the two deep has started at least four games in their career, so inexperience will not be a factor.
Outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss is back, as is CJ Allen, Jalon Walker and Smael Mondon at the inside backer positions, which is considered one of the best groups in the country.
SPECIAL TEAMS
No surprise, the Bulldogs kicking game is strong as usual. Brett Thorson and his 43.8-yard average returns at punter, while Peyton Woodring is back at placekicker after he connected on 21 of 25 field goal attempts last season, including a long of 48 yards.
OVERVIEW
What has stayed the same for the Georgia Bulldogs, however, is their overall excellence. Under head coach Kirby Smart, who will be in his ninth season for Georgia, the Bulldogs have seen ridiculous success, winning two National Champions and following it with a 13-1 season last year, losing only to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
After being held out of the College Football Playoff, the Bulldogs followed their Crimson Tide loss with a massive 63-3 win over the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.
The Bulldogs remain at the top heading into 2024, ranked No. 1 in many preseason polls, and it would not surprise anyone if they stayed in that position all season.
No one will be surprised to see Georgia’s name listed in the new 12-team playoff.
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