ATLANTA — Georgia football had no trouble dispatching Clemson in a week 1 win inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It wasn’t smooth the whole game, but by the second half, the Bulldogs found their rhythm and eventually won 34-3.
Here’s a full breakdown of the action.
Slow and steady wins the race
It took a bit for the offense to really find its stride.
The team only had 34 rushing yards and 126 passing yards after the first half. However, on the first drive of the second half, Georgia ran for 36 yards, which was two more than they had all game.
Cut to the end of the game and Georgia ran for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman running back Nate Frazier didn’t start, but after he was subbed in, he barely left. He ran for 83 yards on 11 carries and had his first career touchdown.
Meanwhile, fellow newcomers Colbie Young and London Humphreys also found the endzone. The receivers each showcased their skills on their respective touchdowns, as Young got big in the endzone showcasing his talent as a red zone threat. Humphreys, who led the team in receiving, used his speed to pass by every Tiger defender to reach paydirt.
Quarterback Carson Beck also looked solid, as he completed 70% of his passes and threw for nearly 300 yards in a strong first game of the season. He had no trouble efficiently getting the ball to his receivers and even got out of the pocket when necessary.
Overall, the offense looked strong, but has plenty to build on, especially when players like Trevor Etienne return to the lineup.
A dominant defense
Georgia’s defense looked nothing less than impressive.
They kept Clemson's offense off the score board all game and kept giving the ball back to Beck and the Georgia offense.
While the group did struggle to create pressure early, pass rusher Mykel Williams managed to break up a few plays and ultimately led the team with two tackles for a loss, as a result.
Meanwhile, junior linebacker and pass rusher Jalon Walker showed out in the second half. He brought Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik down one and half times, including a 12-yard sack. He also had back-to-back tackles on a 2nd-and-1 and 3rd-and-1 situation to hold the Tigers back from getting a first down.
The linebackers as a whole were dominant, as Walker, Smael Mondon Jr., Raylen Wilson and CJ Allen combined for 18 tackles, as all four had at least four tackles on the day.
Junior safety Malaki Starks only had two tackles, but made an incredible leaping interception, reminiscent of his first career interception against Oregon in the same stadium two years ago.
Cornerback Daylen Everette did struggle at points, as noted by him having four tackles, but other than a few struggles in the secondary, Georgia’s defense was on point.
New faces showing out
Georgia’s work in the portal and in recruiting this past offseason have already begun to bear fruit.
Frazier, a freshman, looked explosive in the backfield and led the Bulldogs in rushing in just his first game as a collegiate player.
Humphreys led the Bulldogs in receiving in his first year with the team, and tied with fellow transfer Young for team leader in receiving touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, freshman safety KJ Bolden tied with four others for second most tackles in the game.
Even freshmen like Ellis Robinson IV, Jordan Thomas and Justin Williams looked solid when they got playing time at the end of the game. Robinson, specifically, had a great pass breakup to help close out the game.
While plenty of returnees made their mark in game one, the newcomers played just as well, if not better, which bodes well for the Bulldogs going forward.