Week 1 of the season is always a big-game bonanza for fans of college football betting, and this year brings one of the biggest: Clemson against Georgia on Saturday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, which could offer a preview of the College Football Playoff — or ultimately keep one team out of it.

Sportsbooks view these as evenly-matched teams, but both have questions. Can Georgia find an effective passing game to complement its potent running attack? Can Clemson’s defense tighten up against the rush? No time to shake things out against lesser opponents — they’ll need to find answers under the lights on Saturday night.

Let’s take a closer look at the game and our college football picks for this matchup.

Georgia vs Clemson Odds & Betting Lines

College football odds listed are current as of publication and subject to change. Stay on top of the latest Georgia vs Clemson odds from top betting sites.

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Georgia vs Clemson Key Matchups

Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei against Georgia’s secondary: With Trevor Lawrence now in the NFL, this is Uiagalelei’s team. He has a big arm and tons of potential — but can he do it against an outstanding Georgia secondary?

Georgia’s run game against Clemson’s rush defense: Georgia is going to run, run and run some more behind its stable of stud tailbacks. The Tigers were burned on the ground last year by Notre Dame and Ohio State, the two best teams they played. Will it be different this time?

Georgia’s offense against time of possession: Despite Georgia’s ground game, this is still an offense that struggled to take time off the clock and keep opponents off the field at key moments. Enter J.T. Daniels, who brings a more reliable passing game when it’s needed.

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6 Key Georgia vs Clemson Stats

• 439: Yards Uiagalelei threw for last season against Notre Dame, in his first career start. With Lawrence gone, it’s now D.J.’s show — and his night against the Irish hints he might be electric.
• 1,744: Rushing yards churned out by Georgia’s top five running backs in 2020, who are all back this season — including Zamir White, who ran for 779 yards on his own last season behind an offensive line that also returns almost intact.
• 85: Total points Georgia’s defense allowed to the two best teams on its schedule last season, Alabama and Florida. If the Bulldogs want to hang with Clemson, the defense has to improve against elite competition.
• 200: Rushing yard total that only two teams exceeded against Clemson last season: Notre Dame and Ohio State. Those were also the Tigers’ only two losses in 2020.
• 9-6: Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s record against top-10 opponents in the Associated Press poll. Clemson enters ranked No. 3 and Georgia No. 5.
• 38-1: Clemson’s record in its last 39 regular-season games, with the lone loss coming at Notre Dame last season with Lawrence out due to COVID-19.

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Georgia vs Clemson Weather Forecast

Sweater weather on opening weekend? Indeed, the forecast is perfect for Saturday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, with temperatures expected to dip into the mid-60s in the fourth quarter, and almost no chance of rain.

Georgia vs Clemson Moneyline

Betting apps list Clemson is a -172 favorite and Georgia a +140 underdog. That’s understandable: Clemson’s biggest question is behind center, and we got a glimpse last season of what Uiagalelei can do.

The Tigers have been bulletproof in the regular season, while Georgia has been a mixed bag against elite completion. The logical bet here is Clemson at BetMGM, if you’re willing to go that far given how little value the favorite offers.

Georgia vs Clemson Point Spread

Clemson is favored by 3.5 points, a narrow line that reflects how closely matched these two teams are. If Daniels can take pressure off the run, Georgia has the ground attack to exploit Clemson’s biggest weakness from last season.

It should be enough to keep the Bulldogs in the game, although Clemson remains the solid choice to win outright.

Georgia vs Clemson Totals

Is a total of 50 too much for Week 1? Clemson didn’t score fewer than 34 points in a game last year until its College Football Playoff loss. Georgia scored fewer than 24 just once all of last season.

Some of the players may be different, but the systems are the same — and the Over at DraftKings begs you to take it.