These old rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs, No. 1 in the preseason polls and the 14th-ranked Clemson Tigers, have played in some of the most memorable games in the history of the two schools, have basked in the spotlight of college football’s mountaintop under the watch of legendary future hall of fame coaches.

Kirby Smart led Georgia to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, and his Bulldogs, who have won 46 of their last 48 games, have finished ranked in the top 10 nationally for seven consecutive seasons.

Dabo Swinney guided Clemson to national titles in 2016 and 2018, with his Tigers advancing to six straight College Football Playoffs as Atlantic Coast Conference kingpins from 2015-2020.

Smart and Swinney are two of just three active head coaches with national championships on their resume, joined by North Carolina’s Mack Brown, who guided Texas to the 2005 title.

A year ago, Georgia made history as the first team ever to post a record of 12-0 at some point in three consecutive seasons. The Bulldogs lost in Atlanta 27-24 to Alabama in the SEC Championship, which dropped them from the season long top ranking out of the top four and the playoff. Kirby and Co. then flexed their muscles with a 63-3 thrashing of Florida State in the Orange Bowl to finish 13-1.

Clemson suffered a pair of heart-breaking overtime losses and in the first eight games of the 2023 season, finding themselves at 4-4. But they would come together and close out the season on a five-game winning streak, topping South Carolina and then taking a 38-35 thriller over Kentucky in the Gator Bowl to finish 9-4.

Both head into the 2024 campaign loaded with momentum and expectations. Chief amongst the reasons for the high hopes are experienced returning quarterbacks – Cade Klubnik for Clemson and Carson Beck of Georgia.

When these two last played, it was to kick off the 2021 season at another neutral site, Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Georgia prevailed 10-3 in a defensive battle for the ages that Vince Dooley and Danny Ford – national championship coaches for Georgia in 1980 and Clemson in 1981 – would have been quite proud to have coached in.

All-American safety Chris Smith made the big play, returning an interception 74 yards for the game’s lone touchdown. That victory would vault the Bulldogs to a season of destiny that concluded with a victory over Alabama in Indianapolis for the national championship.

Along with serving as the host for this high profile showdown, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the home of the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, and then finally on January 20th the National Championship Game.

Both teams feel they have the goods to be back here in the last game of the year, and this opener will be an outstanding measuring stick. The loser is far from done, but the margin for error is thinner. For the winner, those hopes and dreams for 2024 sail even higher.