Clemson football’s offensive X-Factor for Week 1 against Georgia

Dabo Swinney and the No. 14 Clemson football team face off with the No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, with the Tigers looking to upset Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs to start their 2024 season.

Clemson has a real shot at beating Georgia, and I believe the Tigers have better chances than many are leading on, but to do so, they have to get one guy going in particular. While you could easily make the case for Clemson starting quarterback Cade Klubnik being the Tigers’ Offensive X-Factor for the matchup, I’m going with star running back Phil Mafah here.

There’s no denying Clemson’s offense needs to take the next step, especially in the passing game. What’s the best way to open up your passing game? Establishing the run. Clemson and Mafah need to prove that they can be productive on the ground against Georgia’s arguably best defense in the country.

Sharing the backfield with Will Shipley last season, Phil Mafah was a consistent presence for Clemson in all 13 games. Mafah came close to reaching 1,000 rushing yards, finishing with 965 on 179 carries. He also set personal bests with 13 touchdowns on the ground. In addition to his rushing contributions, Mafah added 108 yards through the air on 21 receptions.

Now it’s Mafah’s backfield to lead, and much of the Tigers’ offensive weight will be on his shoulders. If Mafah has a big game on Saturday, Clemson’s odds of winning will be much, much higher than people believe.