During Wednesday’s ACC Huddle: 2024 Football Schedule Release show on ACC Network and ESPN2, ACCN analysts Mark Richt and Eddie Royal gave some thoughts on Clemson’s showdown against Georgia to open the 2024 campaign.

The Tigers and Bulldogs will begin the season in the national spotlight when they face off in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff Game on Saturday, Aug. 31.

It will be the first meeting between the two schools since their season-opener on Sept. 4, 2021, when UGA beat Clemson by a score of 10-3 in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The lone touchdown in that contest came on Christopher Smith’s 74-yard pick-six against former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei late in the first half.

“Last time they played, it was a defensive barnburner, if that’s possible,” said Richt, the former UGA and Miami head coach. “Usually a barnburner’s a lot of points. There was like no offensive touchdowns scored in the whole game. DJU threw a pick-six for the only score of the game, and I think it was like a 10-3 game. It was a nailbiter for sure, and it was a game that both teams fared extremely well and didn’t lose any ground in the national championship hunt. As a matter of fact, Georgia ended up winning the national championship that year after winning that game.”

In the 17 installments of the Clemson-UGA series since 1980, the winner of this contest went on to win the national championship three times.

The Tigers will attempt to earn their first win against the Bulldogs since 2013 in a matchup of regional rivals that have accounted for four of the last eight national championships.

Royal believes this year’s matchup is a big chance for Clemson – led by rising junior quarterback Cade Klubnik and a defense loaded with young talent – to make a statement on the national stage.

“I do want to see Cade right out the gate, going against one of the best defenses in the country — you know Georgia’s going to be great on defense, but Cade’s growth as a player,” said Royal, the former Virginia Tech and longtime NFL receiver. “Then add on some of those young guys on that Clemson defense. So, it’s a great chance for them to come out on a national stage and tell them Clemson is back.”