LIVE Updates: Georgia vs Clemson
The Clemson Tigers will meet the Georgia Bulldogs in Charlotte, North Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium, in the season openers for both teams. Although this will be the 43rd game between the two former rivals, Georgia currently holds a 42-18-4 record all-time against the Tigers.
The last time these two programs met, Georgia came out victorious in the 2014 season opener, where the Dawgs rode the back of Todd Gurley to a 45-21 victory inside Sanford Stadium. Since that matchup, the Tigers have gone on to win two national championships on four appearances under Dabo Swinney. At the same time, the Dawgs turned the page on Mark Richt following the 2015 season. They progressed into a perennial College Football Playoff contender under Smart after coming up short in 2017 against Alabama in the National title game.
Clemson is coming off a 49-28 playoff semifinal loss to Ohio State, where the Buckeyes used their hurry-up offense to their advantage, not letting Clemson’s defense breath between plays. That loss would see the Tigers finish with a 10-2 record.
On the other hand, Georgia started the new year with a comeback victory in the Peach Bowl over Cincinnati. The Bulldogs finished the season on a four-game winning streak, with Daniels at quarterback averaging nearly 37 points per game. The insertion of JT Daniels boosted the Georgia offense after two lackluster performances against Alabama and Florida.
As the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Clemson Tigers, join us as we live-blog and discuss the game here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Then, dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and click the follow button in the bottom right-hand corner of the Dawgs Daily logo.
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If you want to tune into the action with SI Dawgs Daily’s Brooks Austin, click the video below!
Injury Report
- WR George Pickens (Knee) - OUT
- WR Dominick Blaylock (Knee) - Dressed
- TE Darnell Washington (Foot) - OUT
- DB Tykee Smith (Foot) - OUT
- OL Warren Ericson (Hand) - Limited, Available
- DB Jalen Kimber (Shoulder) - Probable
- WR Arian Smith (Toe) - IN
- TE John FitzPatrick (Knee) - IN
- WR Kearis Jackson (Knee) - IN
- WR Jermaine Burton (Ankle) - IN
Pre-Game Notes
- The Bulldog captains are quarterback JT Daniels, running back James Cook, and inside linebacker Nakobe Dean.
- Both Tykee Smith and Darnell Washington are in walking boots despite being listed on the depth chart. A little gamesmanship is still happening on game day.
- Dominick Blaylock is dressed out and warming up.
- Georgia enters the game as a 3-point underdog; this is the third time under Kirby Smart that Georgia is an underdog in a non-conference matchup.
- 86 players dressed out for Georgia tonight.
Georgia Offense
QB JT Daniels, RB Zamir White, X-WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Z-WR Jermaine Burton, Slot-WR Kearis Jackson, TE John FitzPatrick, LT Jamaree Salyer, LG Justin Shaffer, C Sedrick Van Pran, RG Tate Ratledge, RT Warren McClendon
Georgia Defense
DE Travon Walker, NT Jordan Davis, DT Devonte Wyatt, JACK Nolan Smith, SAM Adam Anderson, MIKE LB Nakobe Dean, MONEY LB Quay Walker, CB Derion Kendrick, CB Ameer Speed, STAR Latavious Brini, FS Lewis Cine, SS Christopher Smith
First Quarter
Clemson has won the toss and deferred to the second half. Georgia will get the ball first.
(0-0) 14:12: Georgia offense opens up with a play-action rollout complete to Brock Bowers for 7 yards, then goes back to him again after a false start by Shaffer.
One penalty each on the opening drive, a false start against Georgia, and a delay of game against Clemson.
Injury: Tate Ratledge went down with an injury on the first drive, came up limping. The young lineman is being carted off the field.
(0-0) 9:00: Nolan Smith stepping up early with a big sack on third down for Georgia.
(0-0) 6:35: Three punts so far through two Georgia drives and one Clemson drive. Camarda has pinned the Tigers deep in their own territory twice.
(0-0) 6:25: Kelee Ringo called for pass interference on Justyn Ross.
(0-0) 6:25: Both offenses cutting it close on the play clock early.
(0-0) 5:31: Lanning sending pressure early, and Nakobe Dean gets to Uiagalelei on third.
(0-0) 4:36: Georgia burns their first timeout due to the play clock getting low with confusion on the field with the playcall.
(0-0) 4:33: A false start gave Georgia a second chance on third down. A Clemson pass interference gives the Dawgs a break on 3rd & 7.
(0-0) 2:40: Bryan Bresee, Clemson's defensive tackle, leaves the field holding his shoulder.
(0-0) 0:35: Clemson pass interference on third down offsets Georgia's hold.
Georgia rotating offensive linemen following injury to Ratledge.
Second Quarter
(0-0) 14:20: Jack Podlesny misses the field goal attempt from 36 yards.
(0-0) 9:23: Two mistakes on snaps killed Clemson's first drive of the second quarter.
(0-0) 6:33: Camarda (52-yard punt) pins Clemson on their own 14 yard-line after drive stalls on Georgia's own 34-yard line.
(0-0) 5:26: Clemson's punt hits Milton's foot, and Clemson recovers the football at the 50-yard line.
(7-0) 3:23: Christopher Smith picks off Uiagalelei on third down and takes it 74-yards to the house.
(7-0) 2:58: Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint walks off the field with training staff after kickoff.
(7-0) 1:02: Clemson takes a delay of game on third down in Dawgs territory trying to draw Georgia offsides. Clemson to punt the ball back to the Dawgs with a minute left in the half.
Check out our halftime notes by our SI Dawgs Daily staff.
Third Quarter
(7-0) 12:04: Nakobe Dean comes up big on third down with a sack to end the half's first drive.
(7-0) 9:34: JT Daniels tries to hit FitzPatrick on an out route and is picked off by Clemson's Spector.
(7-0) 9:00: Georgia defensive line continues to get pressure on DJ Uiagalelei, this time resulting in a sack by Jalen Carter.
(7-0)) 8:10: Adam Anderson and Devonte Wyatt get to Uiagalelei for another sack.
(7-0) 3:31: Adonai Mitchell draws a pass interference from Clemson on a back-shoulder pass in Clemson territory, moving Georgia inside Clemson's 10.
(10-0) 2:40: Jack Podlesny's 22-yard field goal makes Georgia up 10-0.
(10-0) 1:06: Travon Walker sacks DJ Uiagalelei on 3rd and 14 for Georgia's sixth sack of the game.
Through three, Georgia's defense continues to carry the offense in terms of production. However, the Dawgs offense did a much better job in the third of moving the ball on the Tigers' defense; they just have to find a way to finish drives with a touchdown.
Fourth Quarter
(10-0) 13:00: Clemson sacks Daniels on third and four. This was the first time the Tigers sacked Daniels.
(10-3) 9:08: Georgia makes a big third-down stand on third and goal, holding Clemson to three.
(10-3) 4:52: Lewis Cine causes a drop on 3rd and 5.
(10-3) 4:49: Georgia defensive causes pressure on Uiagalelei who throws the ball away on fourth down. The Dawgs get the ball back on their own 45.
(10-3) 3:15: Clemson spends the first timeout of the half James Cook converts on a 3rd and 1.
(10-3) 2:23: FitzPatrick and Bowers set the edge on a jet sweep to Cook for 4 yards sets up a 3rd and 1 for Georgia.
(10-3) 2:20: Zamir White with a big ten-yard first-down run on 3rd and 1.
(10-3) 1:38:
FINAL: Georgia 10, Clemson 3
