The Georgia Bulldogs returned from “The Benz” to the Classic City last Saturday night in victorious fashion after defeating the Clemson Tigers by a score of 34-3 in the 2024 season opener. After the offense struggled to move the ball early on, Coach Smart and Co. opened up the playbook to show Georgia fans and the nation everything they needed to see from the No. 1 team in the land. The defense completely dominated throughout the entire matchup. It seemed as though every time the Tigers got the ball, it was almost inevitable that they were going to punt right back to the Dawgs. The Tiger’s dreams of an upset were crushed. Young talent and new faces were showcased on both sides of the ball throughout, meaning that there is a bright present and future for the Bulldogs. With a tough schedule down the road, this convincing win was crucial in showing college football that Georgia is going to be a force to be reckoned with over the next few months.

    In terms of offense: let us introduce you to what feels like a whole new team. Colbie Young, Nate Frazier and London Humphreys highlighted the offensive attack, scoring touchdowns all as new Dawgs to the Georgia faithful. In addition, returning back Cash Jones cruised his way into the endzone for the Dawgs’ fourth and final touchdown in last week’s win. Heisman hopeful Carson Beck looked like he will certainly be in the running for the nation’s best player with 278 yards and two touchdown passes. Plus, he had 19 meaningful yards on the ground. This is an offense that had been questioned during the offseason on whether or not they would produce in absence of Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey and all other now-pro Bulldogs. Though offensive coordinator Mike Bobo just peeked into the playbook, fans should know there is so much more potential on this side of the ball.

    The last time Georgia played Clemson, the Bulldogs dominated defensively on the way to a 10-3 victory on September 4, 2021 in the season opener. In this year’s opener, Smart’s defense saw very similar success by allowing just three points once again. Coming into the season, fans weren’t sure how good the defense would be, especially after last year being a little bit of a letdown from years past. It felt like the defensive line fell short in the 2023 SEC Championship and that the inability to bring pressure was one of the major factors of the downfall of the 2023 season. The unit used the chip on their shoulder to prove that they still can be as impactful as they have been in recent memory. Clemson totaled less than 200 yards, which is half the amount they averaged on offense per game last year.

    Our hot take of last week hit to near perfection. We predicted that freshman running back Nate Frazier would not only see the field but would dominate. Frazier saw the most action of any member in the Georgia running back room. He carried the ball 11 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. At the game, it simply felt like Frazier had the “it” factor. He is an explosive, dynamic back that can be a threat anywhere on the field. In addition to rushing, he also had a short reception that he turned into a 24 yard gain.

‌Hot take of the week:

    Following along on the belief in young talent within this team, we believe that Georgia will have two freshmen create headaches for the Tennessee Tech offensive attack. True freshmen KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV will both force their first collegiate turnovers. Bolden saw the field a majority of the game last weekend and nearly had an interception that replicated Malaki Starks’ 2022 season opening pick, causing deja vu to reap throughout Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Robinson IV also saw the field on Saturday, but was not able to make any major contributing plays. Both former five stars were No. 1 at their positions in high school for a reason. This game, against an inferior opponent, will be a great opportunity to show what they are made of to everyone in the Bulldog Nation.