ATHENS — Clemson opened as a 4-point favorite over Georgia, and the betting line is down to 3 points, an indication that more money is being placed on the Bulldogs.

It might just be the smart money when one considers three of the keys to the matchups: Big plays, offensive balance and special teams.

All three areas would seem to favor Georgia on paper — of course, the game is going to be played on FieldTurf in Bank of America Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 in Charlotte, N.C.

Here are the three reasons Georgia football should come out with a win against Clemson

1. Quarterback play

JT Daniels has beaten DJ Uiagalelei twice head-to-head in high school, but the bigger advantage Georgia’s quarterback has is experience in big games.

Daniels played a full season at USC as a true freshman (who skipped his senior year of high school) and had 300-yard passing games against Texas and Notre Dame, while out-dueling future NFL QB Gardner Minshew in a win over a Mike Leach-led Washington State team.

Uiagalelei went 1-1 in his two starts in place of Trevor Lawrence last season, beating Boston College and losing to Notre Dame. Uiagalelei has a big arm and great field vision, a 6-5, 250-pound load who will be hard to bring down once the UGA pass rush gets to him.

The difference is Daniels has seen intense pressure many times before and is less apt to make mistakes than Uiagalelei, who has not seen a pass rush like Kirby Smart will put on him.

2. Running game

When this Georgia-Clemson game was first announced most everyone had visions of a high-scoring shootout, and some might still expect that with both offenses built out of the pass-first mentality.

Ahhh, but dig deeper and take note that the strongest units on both teams are the defensive fronts, and both teams have had last-minute shuffling going on at the center position.

Georgia and/or Clemson could lose in the opening game and still win a national championship, but neither team can afford to lose its quarterback, and the best defense against a strong pass rush is a good running game.

The Tigers ranked 11th in the ACC in rushing last season — and that was with the No. 1 overall pick at QB and a first-round NFL draft pick at running back.

Georgia, on the other hand, is loaded with capable backs including hard-charging second-year player Kendall Milton. Milton could be the difference in the game.

3. Will Muschamp/Special Teams

Georgia has the edge in special teams with preseason All-American and 2020 Ray Guy Award finalist Jake Camarda handling the punting chores, and clutch kicker Jack Podlesny ready to top his game-winning kick in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. Kenny McIntosh was No. 2 in the nation in kick returns before suffering a sprained knee last season.

Muschamp, of course, oversees these units and has a big score to settle with the Clemson Tigers, having gone 0-4 against his then in-state rival.

The bad news is Muschamp’s Gamecocks never got closer than 21 points in their losses and had an average loss margin of 32 points. The good news is, Muschamp and his staff likely turned the Tigers’ rosters and game plans upside down because of that futility, meaning Smart and the Bulldogs should have an excellent scouting report. Even better when you throw in transfer cornerback Derion Kendrick.