ATHENS — Clemson is a 3-point favorite to beat Georgia in college football’s showcase game on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Both the Tigers and the Bulldogs have had their challenges in fall camp with injuries and reloading at key positions.
Georgia Edge: Defensive line vs. Clemson offensive line
Georgia has a sizable advantage when its defensive front lines up across from Clemson’s offensive line.
“Right up the middle, they are about as stout as you can get,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “They are incredibly difficult to move even with double teams, I don’t care who they play, Alabama, or whoever.”
RELATED: Dabo tips hand on gameplan, Kirby Smart readies for perimeter game
The Bulldogs have led the nation in run defense each of the past two seasons, while the Tigers finished 11th in the ACC in rushing last season despite having first-round NFL draft pick Travis Etienne.
UGA defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt are No. 1 and No. 6, respectively, at their respective positions in the 2022 NFL Draft projections from ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
Clemson Edge: Defensive backs vs. Georgia receivers
Clemson returns an experienced secondary featuring a combined 41 starts. Tigers’ junior cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. is the highest-rated 2022 NFL draft prospect on the team, per Kiper Jr., ranked No. 19 overall.
Georgia is missing four of its projected top targets in George Pickens, Dominick Blaylock, Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington.
Kearis Jackson and Jermaine Burton are the only two returning receivers who had more than 10 catches last season, and both of them missed the first scrimmage on account of injuries.
“We are young, we have a lot of guys that are just gaining experience,” Coach Kirby Smart said on Wednesday. “Then we have some guys with experience that are bouncing back from camp time, they weren’t available or were injured.”
Dabo Swinney is 11-1 in season-opening games, with his only loss coming to Georgia in 2014. Kirby Smart is 5-0 in openers with this being the first time since his first season (vs. North Carolina) that he’s faced a ranked opponent in the opening game.
Other SEC opening week lines, per BetUs.com
Florida Atlantic at Florida (-23.5, 52 O/U)
Kent State at Texas A&M (-29, 67.5 O/U)
LSU (-3) at UCLA (65 O/U)
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (-9.5, 75.5 O/U)
Miami vs. Alabama (-19.5, 61 O/U)
Central Michigan at Missouri (-14, 60.5 O/U)
Louisiana Tech at Mississippi State (-23, 52 O/U)
Akron at Auburn (-37.5, 55.5 O/U)
Rice at Arkansas (-19.5, 49.5 O/U)
UL Monroe at Kentucky (-31, 54 O/U)
