1. Special Teams – Season openers behind good football teams often comes down to special teams. Which teams have put in the work, which have just paid lip service to it? Both the Bulldogs and Tigers have rich kicking game traditions – of particular note in this old rivalry. That legacy figures to continue this season, as Georgia and Clemson are bullish on their kicking game.

2. 40 Years Ago, The Butler Did It – Georgia’s honorary captain is College Football Hall of Fame legend Kevin Butler. The first ever kicker inducted into the College Hall, the record setting All-American ended his career with the Bulldogs as the all-time leading scorer in Southeastern Conference history. Butler then set more marks in a distinguished NFL career, winning a Super Bowl as a rookie and breaking the Chicago Bears all-time scoring mark. His most famous kick at Georgia was a herculean 60-yard (plus a foot and a half) boot in the closing seconds that provided the winning margin in the Bulldogs 26-23 victory over second-ranked Clemson on September 22, 1984. The snapper was Paul Messer, the holder Jimmy Harrell. That kick, which arguably induced the most joyous bedlam in Sanford Stadium annals, will always be remembered as one of Georgia’s greatest plays ever.

3. Can MBS be the Bulldogs 2nd Home – The Bulldogs have experienced great heartbreak and incredible joy – most notably at the stroke of midnight to ring in 2023 for the ladder – at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There is a chance, if plans, dreams and circumstance perfectly intertwine, that the Bulldogs could play four games in the building this year. Hey, Clemson could play three. There is the opener Saturday, the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal in the Chick Fil A Peach Bowl, and then, on January 20, the National Championship Game. En route to a second straight national title, the 2022 Bulldogs played three times in “The Benz,” beating Oregon 49-3 in the season opener, topping LSU 50-30 in the SEC Championship Game and then edging Ohio State 42-41 in the epic Chick Fil A Peach Bowl CFP Semifinal.

4. 1982 – The most highly touted season opener in Georgia and Clemson football history came on Labor Day Night 1982, as the 1980 National Champion Bulldogs beat the 1981 National Champion Tigers 13-7. It was the first night game Between the Hedges of the Vince Dooley era, and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker was doubtful to play after suffering a broken thumb during practice. Dale Carver’s blocked punt recovered for a touchdown by Stan Dooley tied the game at 7-7. The Bulldogs had two touchdowns called back due to penalties – a sweet reverse to Tron Jackson with Herschel as a decoy, and then a Herschel over the top – but Butler booted two field goals to make the difference. Georgia’s defense was absolutely incredible, making a slew of critical stops. It was the first start for one of the Bulldogs best ever quarterbacks, John Lastinger. This was also the first start for 1982 and 1983 All-American Terry Hoage, and his best game to date. Just four and a half days later, a 44-yard field goal by Butler delivered a 17-14 victory over Brigham Young. Herschel, not quite at full strength, would go for over 100 yards against the Cougars, and the Bulldogs picked off Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young six times. It was one tremendous week at Sanford Stadium.

5. Kirby and Dabo – There is a short list of active head coaches in college football with national championships. North Carolina’s Mack Brown led Texas to the big prize in 2005. Then there is Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart. Swinney coached Clemson to the 2016 and 2018 titles, and Smart led Georgia to the National Championship in 2021 and 2022, as the Bulldogs became the first team in the CFP era to capture back-to-back crowns.