One of the premier games on the Week 1 college football slate pits No. 14 Clemson against No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, Aug. 31, at noon ET. This neutral-site contest will be played in front of a sold-out crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Tigers are coming off a 9-4 season, including a 38-35 victory over Kentucky in the Gator Bowl. Dabo Swinney’s squad returns eight starters on offense, including standout RB Phil Mafah, as well as QB Cade Klubnik and top WR Tyler Brown.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs return 15 starters (nine offense, six defense) from a team that went 13-1 in 2023. Chief among them is QB Carson Beck, who completed 72.4% of his passes and was responsible for 28 total touchdowns last season.
Who will come on top in the next chapter of this historic rivalry? Here are the latest odds for Clemson vs Georgia, as well as my prediction for one of Week 1’s most anticipated college football games.
Clemson vs Georgia Odds
College Football odds are current as of Thursday, Aug. 22, and courtesy of bet365 Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Clemson (+425) vs Georgia (-575)
- Spread: Clemson +14 (-110) vs Georgia -14 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 49 (-110) / Under 49 (-110)
Clemson vs Georgia Prediction
Georgia 31, Clemson 14
Clemson is a heavy underdog ahead of its bout with the Bulldogs, and that’s hardly a surprise. Nine of Georgia’s 13 wins in 2023 were decided by 14 points or more, including its 63-3 rout of Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
Many are expecting a bounce-back year from the Tigers — and it may well happen — but as things stand, I just can’t see this offense being all that productive against the Bulldogs. Clemson sputtered at times last fall, and although it has a better offensive line this time around, it’s still relying on a lot of young talent.
The Tigers might not need their offense to be excellent to win a lot of games this year, but they’ll need a near-perfect game on both sides of the ball to contend with Georgia. Perhaps Clemson can reach that level of play by the end of the season, but it hasn’t shown anything to suggest it can do so now.
Expect a motivated Bulldogs squad to be in control throughout.
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Clemson vs Georgia Best Bets
Georgia -14 (-110) vs Clemson
Georgia is the class of college football. Not only is Kirby Smart’s program talented, but it’s also incredibly consistent. The Bulldogs have won 42 out of 44 games dating back to the 2021 season, with their most recent loss coming by just three points to Alabama.
This 14-point spread might look intimidating given Clemson’s No. 14 rank, but Georgia regularly dominates top competition, and the Tigers don’t match the look of teams that have given the Bulldogs issues over the last few years.
Don’t overthink this one. Georgia -14 is one of the best college football bets you can make ahead of Week 1.
Under 49 Points (-110)
The Bulldogs will be an elite defensive team in 2024, and Clemson will likely be a tier below them. How quickly the Tigers come together on that side of the ball remains to be seen, but I don’t think we should count on Georgia scoring much more than 30 points.
Assuming the Bulldogs can hold Klubnik and the Clemson offense in check — and they have every reason to do so — I can’t see this game reaching this 49-point total. The Under is the way to go.
