Instant takeaways from Georgia football's victory over Clemson (2024)

The Georgia offense had its moments in the first half, but time and time again it was unable to fully capitalize. That was not the case in the second half, when Clemson simply had no answer for the Bulldogs.

Georgia (1-0, 0-0 SEC) managed all of six points in the first half before finally breaking through after the halftime break. The Bulldogs opened the second half with touchdowns on four of their first five possessions to leave the Tigers in the dust.

Georgia had issues running the football early in the action without Trevor Etienne, who was suspended. Jet sweeps by Arian Smith and Dillon Bell seem to free up the ground game, and touchdown catches by Colbie Young and London Humphreys made it not much of an issue.

By the time Cash Jones scored late in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs' offense was humming and the game's outcome was essentially a lock.

Perhaps the most promising part of Georgia's offensive showing on Saturday was how several newcomers stepped up.

Freshman running back Nate Frazier, Miami transfer Colbie Young, and Vanderbilt transfer London Humphreys were all responsible for touchdowns on Saturday. Those Bulldogs had gotten plenty of buzz this fall in preparation for their first season in Athens, and on Saturday all three delivered glimpses of what's to come.

Given that all three players are expected to play significant roles this season, they definitely passed the first test on Saturday.

The offense's eruption will get a lot of attention, but the defense deserves credit from holding Clemson (0-1, 0-0 ACC) in check.

The Bulldogs gave up a few plays here and there to Cade Klubnik and company, but time and time again they locked down and forced Clemson's special teams to clean up the Tigers' mess. Georgia allowed all of 76 yards in the first half on Saturday, and what little the Tigers managed after that was not enough to make a dent against the Dawgs.

Georgia has plenty to still clean up, and the Bulldogs will have to get healthy going forward. That said, there was a lot to like about what Georgia showed against a team that could very well make it to the College Football Playoff.

There were two moments on Saturday that felt like they were almost required in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. One was an explosive play by wide receiver Arian Smith. The other was an acrobatic interception by Malaki Starks.

Smith had big catches in the 2022 Peach Bowl and the 2023 SEC title game, and he delivered again on Saturday with a 32-yard catch. Smith was a big part of Georgia's game plan on Saturday, and it's a sure bet that will continue to be the case moving forward.

Starks, meanwhile, effectively put the game on ice when he somehow corralled a Cade Klubnik deep shot with just over nine minutes to go in the game. It was the highlight of a busy day for Starks, who split time between safety and STAR due to STAR starter Joenel Aguero's hamstring injury.

Georgia has had its share of big games in Atlanta. Players like Smith and Starks have repeatedly shown they're up for the moment if the ball is thrown their way.

It was risky for Georgia to play a talented Clemson program in the very first game of the season. That said, the Bulldogs faced the challenge head on and already have a nice win on their resume.

Georgia has an incredibly difficult 2024 schedule, and getting the win over the Tigers provides a nice boost early on and can help the Bulldogs in the event they slip along the way. It's always valuable to take care of business against your marquee opponents, and Georgia's ability to pass an early test will serve the team well in the long run.