Week 1: Tigers vs Bulldogs Picks
NCAA football Week 1 action sees the #16 Clemson Tigers take on the #12 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, August 30 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA. Cappers Picks provides free NCAA football handicapping tips all season long.
It remains to be seen whether Clemson can feature the dominant offense it had last year without departed QB Tajh Boyd. For Georgia’s part, QB Hutson Mason played squire to Aaron Murray for a long time and it looks like he’s ready for his turn in the SEC spotlight.
NCAA Football Wagering
Date/Time: Saturday, August 30, 5:30 pm EST
Venue: Sanford Stadium “Between the Hedges”, Athens GA
TV: ESPN
NCAA Betting Point Spread: Clemson +7.5, Georgia -7.5
NCAA Football Betting Over/Under: 57.5 (-110)
NCAA Football Betting Point Spreads from Bovada
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Clemson
While there will surely be an offensive drop-off with the departure of Boyd and Buffalo Bills top pick WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson still brings defense in spades. Defensive end Vic Beasley leads that side of the ball, but DT Grady Jarrett, LB Stephone Anthony and CB Mackensie Alexander are all awesome.
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The problem is, with the exception of Mason, Georgia returns an offense that notched over 484 yards per game in 2013. The Dawgs return the best RB duo in the nation in Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall.
Maybe Mason doesn’t have the resume that Murray did, but he knows the playbook completely after so many seasons as a back-up.
Even with Clemson’s defensive talent, the Bulldogs will be tricky to contain at home. The crowd will be whipped up, and if Georgia grounds-and-pounds it down the field successfully early, it will doubtlessly feed off the atmosphere.
When Mason isn’t handing it off, he has a loaded WR corps to throw to, which can only ease his transition as a starter.
To be fair, the WRs are a bit depleted with Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley nursing injuries, but Chris Conley is an elite target.
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Georgia
Georgia has only lost two games in Athens since 2011, so that’s another thing that doesn’t augur well for the visiting Tigers.
Senior Clemson QB Cole Stoudt is in a similar position to Mason in that he’s had years to learn the offense, and he also has an experienced wideout crew with sure-handed Adam Humphries, Charone Peake and Mike Williams. The Bulldogs have great linebackers, but the Tigers might make hay against Georgia’s secondary.
To pull off a road win, Clemson must be close to perfect.
They’ll have to load the box to stop (or at least slow down) Gurley and Marshall, plus hope that WRs Mitchell and Scott-Wesley don’t play. Additionally, the Tigers must have an efficient game from Stoudt where he doesn’t turn the ball over.
It’s weird only being a year removed from Clemson’s video-game style offense to say that its calling card is now on the other side of the ball. Yet if the Tigers “D” doesn’t have an unbelievable game, the home side is going to run and throw and score.
College football betting trends
- CLEM are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games.
- UGA are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
- UGA are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games on grass.
- Over is 7-2 in UGA last 9 home games.
Georgia vs. Clemson Prediction
If Clemson can’t slow down Heisman hopeful Gurley and the speedy Marshall, who is running and cutting like he’s 100% recovered from last year’s knee ailment, then the result will be academic Between the Hedges at Sanford Stadium, in front of the rabid Georgia faithful.
Week 1 College Football Betting Pick & Final Score:
Georgia 31, Clemson 21
Take the OVER
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