Written By: Evan Perkins
The 14th-ranked Clemson Tigers and top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs will compete in the Aflac Kickoff on Saturday, August 31, at noon ET at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Bulldogs are favored at home and have a point spread at -13.5 (-110).
The Tigers finished their 2023 campaign with a 9-4 record. Although they got off to a rough start, they won their last five games of the season to finish on a high note.
After going 4-4 in the ACC, they have a lot of room to improve this season. One area they were good in is that they were at their best at home but struggled on the road, with a 2-3 record.
Despite being an underdog here, they have a massive chip on their shoulder to prove they are better than that. Their offense was appealing enough to move forward and get plenty of points, but it was nothing spectacular to consistently see big plays.
Their most significant advantage was a strong defensive unit. Since many of their core roster members are returning, you would expect their offense to improve and their defense to be good once again.
The Bulldogs return with another tough roster and have earned the top ranking entering this college football season. Last season, they went 13-1 and were 8-0 in the SEC. Their only loss was to the Alabama Crimson Tide, which pushed their ranking back enough for them not to play for a championship.
They dominated at home, going 7-0 and showing immense comfort here. Quarterback Carson Beck returns and is favored to win the Heisman this year after having an outstanding year prior.
Offensively, this team should be in good shape. After defeating the Florida State Seminoles 63-3 in the Orange Bowl last season as the final game and having a lot of returning players, this should bode well for this battle.
The Bulldogs will likely play their best in the passing game but might have issues early trying to stop the Tigers' running game. Expect back-and-forth action early, and then the Bulldogs will look more comfortable in the second half.
The best college football betting odds on the market arguably come from MyBookie, which currently has the Clemson Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs odds ready. The Bulldogs are 13.5-point favorites at home, which shows how strong the market believes they will be against another top-25 opponent.
According to market research, the Bulldogs have an 82.4 percent chance of winning. They should also be able to cover the spread. The Tigers should be respectable on defense, but their offense will likely not hang around with the Bulldogs for too long.
