I’ve decided to do a series looking back at each game through the lens of the game and individual statistics (not all the advanced stats fancy stuff) and draw some conclusions about that game. Hopefully, I can pull some nuggets to think about for the 2025 season. If you like it, I’ll keep doing it … if not, my fee-fees won’t be hurt (unlike Penn Wagers). Let’s start with the Clemson game in Atlanta on Labor Day Saturday afternoon.
Here’s a link to my preview post:
Team Statistics:
Other than the slow start, the Dawgs dominated Clemson in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Some like to talk about game control as a good statistic. According to ESPN Analytics, the Dawgs opened the game with an 81% chance of winning. The closest Clemson ever got to turning the analytics in their favor was at 3:06 in the 1st quarter when Klubnik connected with Antonio Williams for a 36-yard gain to bring the probability to a 73% chance of a Georgia win. The Junkyard Dawgs’ defense controlled the game throughout even after Kirby and Schumann started to empty the bench in the 4th quarter.
The key statistic of the game was the rushing differential as the Dawgs rushed for 169 yards and 6.3 YPA while limiting Clemson’s running game to 46 yards and a measley 2 yards per carry. The defensive performance on this day was classic Georgia anaconda style defense forcing Clemson to become one-dimensional while using field position to tilt the field against Clemson’s offense. At the same time, once the Georgia offense got going after a slow start that would be typical of the season, the Dawgs’ ground game was efficient and forced Clemson’s talented defensive front to stay on the field.
Individual Statistics:
Carson Beck was the main difference between the 2 teams on this Saturday. He was efficient, played within the offense, got us into the right plays, and, most importantly, protected the ball. While we started slowly on offense, we used the leg of the Thunder from Down Under to keep the field tilted against Clemson. On the other side, our front 7 played one of their best games of the year as Cade Klubnik had no running game to speak of to lean upon and was harassed for much of the game. Klubnik is no scrub at QB, and we made him look like a deer in the headlights on a South Georgia highway (believe me, I know what that looks like).
Needless to say, Tyler from Spartanburg wasn’t happy with the gap between the programs shown on this Saturday afternoon. I wonder if I saw him on the Doraville MARTA after the game. Probably not because the northwest corner of MBS emptied out in the middle of the 3rd quarter.
Something to Consider for 2025:
These 3 guys were playmakers (along with Lawson Luckie) against the Tigers. They all return in 2025. First, Nate Frazier will probably be featured in this series throughout the year. He showed on this day that he can be that Dre Swift slasher. One of the things I hope we see more from him in 2025 is his ability to make plays in the passing game in addition to his running. Second, Dillon Bell did not have the kind of year we all expected in 2024 especially late in the year. Maybe using him as an alternative at running back in addition to his wide receiver duties will get him back to doing the things we saw in 2023. Finally, London Humphreys has an acceleration with the ball in his hands that I thought we would see more throughout the season, but he never really popped last season. The TD he scored on this Saturday was the type of play we had grown used to seeing from Ladd McConkey.
Our 2 top defensive guys from this day are 2 different tales of 2025. Of course, this day was Jalon Walker’s true breakout as more than a 3rd down pass rush specialist. No one knew on this day that he would start a slow march to the Butkus Award and consensus 1st team All-American honors and will enter the draft as a likely 1st round selection. Who is going to fill that role as defensive leader and the epitome of GATA? I highlight Daylen Everette here as a guy who the fans seem to think is a weak link. He got picked on in 2023 being opposite of a future NFL player in Kamari Lassiter combined with 3 other guys in Malaki Starks, Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith who were stars in their own right. Everette quietly had a solid season, and 2025 will be his year to follow in the footsteps of other great CB Dawgs.
I could put these guys on this feature every week. The bottom line is, assuming Thorson is healthy, no one will have the combination of specialists that the Dawgs will in 2025.
Summary
A great opening win over the eventual ACC champions and a playoff team starts a march to an SEC title. Clearly, some issues arose on offense that would be a harbinger of things to come.
The leather helmet fits well.
What are your takeaways? Let us know in the comments.
Usually, a team improves after it’s first game. Usually. Sigh.
When I ran the comparison of this game to the Auburn game two years prior, I noticed the biggest difference in the Clemson game when compared to the rest of the season was the team’s confidence. Arian could catch, the team looked aggressive, and the swagger was there. It disappeared after the Kentucky game, appeared at Texas and Tennessee, but was gone pretty much the rest of the season.
Chart dropped passes per game throughout the year, OL efficiency/ grade, and OPP rushing yards. Guessing those will tell us everything we need to know.
If you give up less than 200 years total and you gain 450 yards this will turn out greatly your way.
Another good sign is when you get 6.3 years per carry it opens up everything.
Those stats along with a kick ass D you will win a bunch of games.
Exactly Hoss. RTDB and play great defense. Also, tackle well and don’t turn it over. Hell of a recipe for success.
HBTFD
This was the harbinger of most of the games to follow. Offense in quicksand in the first half while defense and ST holds the line, then offense wakes up in the 3Q and defense shuts the game down in the 4Q.
I think the big question from last year is why didn’t we start fast. That question is multifaceted, and the defense in some cases contributed to it.
No doubt
This is the motha that Kirby needs to be on this offseason.
Last year was possibly the weirdest season I have ever watched. We were just a weird and almost schizophrenic football team. Schrodingers Dawgs. Both really good and sucky simultaneously. You have to wait until till kickoff to find out which one they are this week. First season without the Senator and Ranger Russ. We were all adjusting to that anyway. It was just a weird damn year and I hope next season is different.