The season opener hasn’t been kind to Clemson the past couple seasons, losing 10-3 to Saturday’s opponent Georgia in 2021 and almost inexplicably falling 28-7 to Duke last year as -12 point favorites. Things don’t get any easier for Dabo Swinney’s club facing another matchup with UGA on Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Before Betting on Week 1 Clemson vs Georgia
Georgia has set such a precedent that anything but a National Championship is a failed season. That’s why the Bulldogs have a chip on their shoulder even after going 13-1 in 2023 as they had to settle for an Orange Bowl win.
Experts predict UGA to be their usual great selves this year, ranking them as the preseason #1 team. Georgia QB Carson Beck has the second highest odds in the country to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy following a 3,941 yard season with 72.4% completion rate. Georgia returns four starters on the offensive line and the one they lost to the NFL – C Sedrick Van Pran – is being replaced by Tate Ratledge who may be even better.
Even though Georgia brings in their choice of 5-star recruits and top talent from other teams each season, there can be an adjustment period with new faces in the huddle. Clemson famously doesn’t utilize the transfer portal, so there could be an advantage in the season opener to having players that are familiar with the system – you take any edge you can get when playing the Bulldogs.
Make no mistake, the Tigers aren’t just experienced in the system – they are good players. Former 5-star QB Cade Klubnik enters his third season starting games but he needs to improve on a 63.9% completion rate with 19 TDs to 9 INTs. The loss of former 1,100 yard rusher (2022) Will Shipley to the Philadelphia Eagles is a high profile one, but Phil Mafah was actually the teams leading RB last year (965) and he’s back for a full-time load.
Tigers vs Bulldogs Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Moneyline | Total | Point Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | CLEM (4.95) | UGA (1.20) | 48 |
CLEM +11.5 (1.93) | UGA -11.5 (1.89) |
| MyBookie | CLEM (4.70) | UGA (1.19) | 48.5 | CLEM +11.5 (1.91) | UGA -11.5 (1.91) |
| SportsBetting.ag | CLEM (4.95) | UGA (1.20) | 48 | CLEM +11.5 (1.93) | UGA -11.5 (1.89) |
| XBet | CLEM (4.70) | UGA (1.19) | 48.5 | CLEM +11.5 (1.91) | UGA -11.5 (1.91) |
Week 1 Clemson vs Georgia Prediction & Pick
It’s tough to call a double digit spread in such a high profile matchup to open the season. Clemson returns a lot of players – but a lot of players that aren’t up to the talent level of Georgia. A veteran offensive line and a QB in Beck who rarely throws an incompletion gives the Bulldogs an edge even against a very good defense.
Pick: Georgia -11.5
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