Fallout from the Clemson Tigers Blowout to the Georgia Bulldogs

5. Defense Surrenders in Second Half

Early in the second half, it appeared that the Clemson defense was worn out and realized they would not get any help from their offense. They gave up the rope, and Georgia ran wild. The Bulldogs were kept out of the end zone in the first half as the secondary held up well against Carson Beck despite playing more zone coverage than a Clemson defense typically does. That may have surprised Georgia, and the running game was kept in check as Clemson was winning the battle at the line of scrimmage against an excellent UGA offensive line. As the game went on, Carson Beck and the Bulldogs sprinkled in more misdirection and began to find success with running back Nate Frazier and receiver Arian Smith in the short passing game. Those two saw a lot of yardage after short receptions, and UGA scored on drives of 70 yards, 75 yards, 54 yards, and 78 yards en route to a 34-3 win. Clemson can feel confident in their defensive front moving forward, but the defense will need help, or they may throw in the towel on the season.

Clemson (-17.5) vs. Appalachian State

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2. Clemson Has No Offensive Identity

Every good team needs an identity. Michigan’s 2023 offense was characterized by the ability and desire to bulldoze opponents on the ground and take their will with a powerful running game. Washington had a high-powered passing attack led by superstar receivers and a gunslinger at quarterback. If a fan watched Clemson’s offense last season and the first game of 2024, they would have a tough time seeing any type of identity. What exactly does Clemson try to do under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley? You could squint and stretch to say the Tigers heavily rely on short passes to the outside meant to be an extension of the running game, but that’s not an identity. The Tigers dialed up a few deep passes, but only one was successful, and although Phil Mafah is powerful, Clemson cannot be called a smashmouth team. Riley needs to figure out what this team’s offensive identity will be, and he needs to figure it out very quickly, or Clemson will suffer another lost season.

3. UGA Wore Down The Tigers

The first half of this 34-3 lopsided blowout was actually very competitive. Clemson’s defense was buttoned up, and neither offense found any rhythm. Despite Clemson’s attack limping to only a few first downs in the first 30 minutes, the Tigers’ defense kept them in the game and held UGA to a pair of field goals as they went to break. Ultimately, the depth of the Bulldogs and the offensive ineptitude did Clemson in and turned a close game into a route. A couple of illustrative examples were a critical defensive play as Clemson linebacker Wade Woodaz took a play off on the sideline, and UGA went at his backup for a significant gain. On offense, Phil Mafah took a breather, and his backup promptly ran sideways, but he was tackled for a loss. Georgia can rotate backups in and see no noticeable drop-off. As soon as the ball began to roll downhill, Clemson had no recourse to stop it, and Georgia quickly pulled away.

4. Antonio Williams: A Lone Bright Spot

The blowout loss was a negative with very few silver linings, but there was one positive on offense: wide receiver Antonio Williams's play. Williams was expected to be Clemson’s top wideout in 2023, but he struggled with injuries all season and could not string together a solid campaign. Clemson’s offense desperately needs wide receivers to step up, and Williams looked healthy and up to the challenge of being a top target for the Tigers. He had six catches for 76 yards, including a beautiful 36-yard catch that served as the high-water mark for Clemson on the afternoon. The other receivers in the game were either invisible or disappointing: Cole Turner quit on a pass in the first half that could have resulted in a big play, Adam Randall had no catches and a couple of costly penalties, freshmen T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. barely played and combined for two catches, Tyler Brown was not targeted until the second half. The wide receivers must find a way to impact the game, and Williams was the only offensive player up to the challenge against the Bulldogs.

5. Defense Surrenders in Second Half

Early in the second half, it appeared that the Clemson defense was worn out and realized they would not get any help from their offense. They gave up the rope, and Georgia ran wild. The Bulldogs were kept out of the end zone in the first half as the secondary held up well against Carson Beck despite playing more zone coverage than a Clemson defense typically does. That may have surprised Georgia, and the running game was kept in check as Clemson was winning the battle at the line of scrimmage against an excellent UGA offensive line. As the game went on, Carson Beck and the Bulldogs sprinkled in more misdirection and began to find success with running back Nate Frazier and receiver Arian Smith in the short passing game. Those two saw a lot of yardage after short receptions, and UGA scored on drives of 70 yards, 75 yards, 54 yards, and 78 yards en route to a 34-3 win. Clemson can feel confident in their defensive front moving forward, but the defense will need help, or they may throw in the towel on the season.

Clemson (-17.5) vs. Appalachian State

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