Georgia vs. Clemson Week 1 Betting Odds, Picks, and Trends

The marquee game of Week 1 in college football will have large implications on the College Football Playoff at the end of the season. The Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs are playing in a neutral-field situation, making this a hostile position for both teams. Neither can be comfortable as they each break in a slew of new starters.

The intensity of such a matchup will be felt throughout the players and college football nation. This must-watch game has two premier Heisman Trophy candidates, prestigious prospects looking to prove themselves, and veterans wanting to kickstart a monstrous season. 

We’re breaking down how Clemson and Georgia matchup in this opening weekend showdown. We have two great picks to start the season off on the right foot. Let’s dive in.

Georgia Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday)

(Clemson -3, O/U 51.5, DraftKings Sportsbook)

Clemson Tigers offense vs. Georgia Bulldogs defense

Losing Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne to the NFL will be a blow but not devastating for the Tigers. Sophomore D.J. Uiagalelei is my Heisman pick with just a handful of games in his back pocket for good reason. Uiagalelei showed premier talent in limited showings last year and has everything needed around him to recreate a terrific offense. 

Clemson’s offensive line mostly returns, and the Tigers are getting phenom receiver Justyn Ross back from a nasty neck injury. The rest of the Tigers’ playmaking corps have to prove themselves as viable and consistent performers. This should be reason for concern for the upside and floor for the offense.

Returning receiver leader E.J. Williams had just 306 yards last year, and Frank Ladson was at 281. These guys are talented, but I expect Ross to see huge volume until someone emerges. Expect Georgia to force them to step up and win on an island.

Georgia’s run defense is always elite and unfortunately the Tigers lack a star lead back. Can freshman Will Shipley earn early carries and become a game-breaker? He might need to be, as neither Lyn-J Dixon nor Kobe Pace showed signs of being a stud. 

Georgia Bulldogs offense vs. Clemson Tigers defense

Things are bleak right now for the Georgia offense compared to expectations in the spring. George Pickens’ torn ACL was a massive blow, and now Arik Gilbert is away from the team for personal reasons, and there’s no return in sight.

There is some good news though. Quarterback J.T. Daniels is now another year removed from a major knee injury and could see a big boost in his performance. He was efficient last year but left a lot of passes short and cost the offense opportunities for bigger plays.

He’ll have to be aggressive and get the ball out fast against Clemson’s deep array of pass rushers and blitzing front. He’ll have plenty of experience around him, as receivers Kearis Jackson and Jermaine Burton headline the starters. The two combined for 919 yards and six scores in 2020.

The running game will of course be a focal point. This game may come down to how well Clemson can slow Zamir White and James Cook. Clemson cannot afford to let Georgia own the clock and find gigantic rush lanes, or else they will lose their biggest advantage, which is having an opportunistic defense when playing from ahead. 

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Prediction

This should be a close game but higher scoring than expected. In most playoff games, the offenses eventually find huge gaps and big plays and the defenses are left playing catch-up late. I think this plays out similarly.

Clemson is a better team overall with the healthier offensive ecosystem and better quarterback. That’s worth three points to me, and the total hits the over late.  

Our picks: Clemson -3 (-120) and Over 51.5 (-110) — or a parlay of the two (+250) — at DraftKings Sportsbook