Big plays aided Georgia’s next scoring drive as Carson Beck completed passes of 24, 23 and 13 yards, along with scrambling for 10 yards. Nate Frazier got in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run to officially put Clemson on the ropes. The eight-play, 75-yard drive took 3:19 off the clock and extended the Bulldogs ' lead to 20-3.
Georgia junior wide receiver Dillon Bell was noticeably limping and being helped by staffers on the Bulldogs sideline with about six minutes left in the third quarter. The ABC broadcast reported it as cramps.
Bell has four receptions for 32 yards and a rushing attempt that went for 27 yards.
The Tigers finally showed life on offense and are on the scoreboard.
Clemson answered Georgia’s touchdown with an 11-play, 66-yard drive, resulting in a 26-yard field goal by Nolan Hauser, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to 13-3.
The big play on the scoring march was a 19-yard catch by Jake Briningstool, aided by a roughing the passer penalty by Georgia. Phil Mafah helped picked up the slack on the ground, carrying five times for 18 tough yards. Clemson still only has 38 rushing yards for the game.
It was the Arian Smith show on the first possession of the second half for Georgia as the senior wide receiver had a 7-yard run and a 32-yard catch during the scoring drive. The Bulldogs hit paydirt to extend their lead to 13-0 as Carson Beck found Colbie Young on the right side for a 7-yard scoring strike, to conclude the 75-yard drive.
After Smith's offensive pass interference, the Bulldogs stalled out at their own 43-yard line to force the third punt by Brett Thorson. One second remains in the half.
The Bulldogs appeared to get a huge play on a 40-yard pass from Carson Beck to Dillon Bell that would have put Georgia at the Clemson 13-yard line. However, fellow receiver Arian Smith was called for offensive pass interference to negate the play and give the Tigers a sigh of relief.
After Clemson went three-and-out for the second time in the game, Georgia completed a 31-yard catch to Lawson Luckie, but went nowhere on the next three plays. The Bulldogs settled another field goal, this time from a whopping 55 yards just inside the left goal post by Peyton Woodring.
Georgia put a dent in the scoreboard by going 68 yards in 12 plays and settling for a 30-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring. Carson Beck completed eight consecutive passes at one point and is 12-for-14 for 95 yards overall. The running game has yet to get going as the Bulldogs have 12 yards on seven carries.
After the big play to Antonio Williams, an illegal formation penalty negated a first-down catch and a third-down pass to Williams fell well short of the first down.
Clemson’s average starting field position in its three possessions is its own 15-yard line.
The first big play of the game came from the Tigers, who got a 36-yard pass play from Cade Klubnik to receiver Antonio Williams. The catch was reviewed and confirmed and gave Clemson a first down at the Georgia 49-yard line.
Georgia’s second possession ended like its first, with a short run and two completed passes that fell well short of the sticks. Carson Beck has completed five of his first six passes but for only 20 yards.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has completed two of his first five passes for only 8 yards as the Tigers also try to establish the run with Phil Mafah, who has 15 yards on four carries.
After gaining one first down on its second drive, Clemson was forced to punt again after Klubnik’s third-down completed pass fell short of the first-down marker.
The top-ranked Bulldogs got busy early as quarterback Carson Beck completed an 11-yard pass to Arian Smith and, on third-and-10, Beck scrambled up the middle for a 13-yard gain. But Beck’s third-down pass on the drive’s seventh play went incomplete to bring the end to the drive and Georgia was forced to punt.
The Tigers received the opening kickoff and went nowhere on their first possession, going three-and-out with an incomplete pass, a dropped pass and an illegal motion penalty.
On third-and-10, Clemson’s check-down pass went nowhere and the Tigers were forced to punt.
When is Georgia-Clemson game?
Kickoff for Clemson at Georgia is Saturday, Aug. 31 at noon ET from Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
How to watch Georgia-Clemson game
The Georgia-Clemson game will be on ABC and can be steamed on ESPN+ and Fubo .
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Georgia junior running back Trevor Etienne will not play in Saturday's game for the top-ranked Bulldogs against Clemson in Atlanta, reports ESPN.com .
Etienne was arrested on March 24 on charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving.
Georgia, who will also be without injured tailback Roderick Robinson II, will need to count on Branson Robinson, Nate Frazier, and Cash Jones to pick up the slack in the running game.
The two programs have faced off 65 times since 1897, with Georgia sporting a 43-18-4 record against Clemson. The Bulldogs have won the past two meetings, the last coming in 2021 and ending in a 10-3 win for UGA. Clemson’s last win against Georgia came in 2013, 38-35 at home, and it is the Tigers’ only win against the Bulldogs in eight meetings dating back to 1991.
Standard disclaimer: This is simply a ranking of what we think will be the best contests, based on national interest, championship impact and entertainment potential. As always, there are sure to be surprising developments in games not listed here, so keep one eye on the scoreboard and one hand on the remote to keep up with all the exciting plays and fantastic finishes. — Eddie Timanus
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