Tale of two programs: Georgia still on top, Clemson still trying to finds its way

ATLANTA (AP) — One program on top of the college football world. Another trying to recapture its former glory.

Nothing much changed Saturday for Georgia or Clemson.

The No. 1 Bulldogs began another season of enormous expectations with an overpowering 34-3 victory, while the 14th-ranked Tigers looked like a once-dominant program now struggling to find its way.

Going for its third national championship in four seasons, Georgia played the first of what it hopes will be three games this season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Atlanta venue will host the Southeastern Conference championship in December and the national title game in January.

“You could see the sense of urgency pick up, you could see the attention to detail of guys locked in, focused on the plan and what they needed to do," Georgia quarterback Carson Beck said. ”If we can just be consistent in that and each week have that exact same approach, then we'll have the success that we need to get back here."

For Clemson, it's back to the drawing board.

The Tigers were where Georgia is now not that long ago, a program that won a pair of national titles and made the College Football Playoff on a regular basis.

But Clemson missed the playoff the last three seasons, and its 9-4 mark a year ago represented the most losses since 2011.

Getting blown out over the final two quarters by the Bulldogs was hardly a sign that the Tigers are headed in the right direction under coach Dabo Swinney.

“They just kicked our tails in the second half,” Swinney said. “They're a great team. They've been a great team. They showed in the third and fourth quarter what it looks like.”

Beck, returning for his fifth season between the hedges, completed 23 of 33 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. With Georgia's top two running backs not playing, freshman Nate Frazier stepped up in his college debut to rush for 83 yards and a TD. All-American defensive back Malaki Starks made a spectacular interception. The Georgia defense held Clemson to just 188 yards. For good measure, Peyton Woodring booted a career-long field goal from 55 yards.

Trailing only 6-0 at halftime, Clemson wound up with its most lopsided loss since a 51-14 setback to Florida State in 2013. The only other larger defeat during the Swinney era was a 70-33 blowout by West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

“We've got to battle back,” Swinney said. “It's a long season ahead. Georgia is a great football team. I have no doubt they'll go on to have a great year. This is one game. Whether you get your butt kicked or you lose by one point, when you lose, you lose. It's 0-1. We've got to get back to work on Monday. We've got to flush it.”

When these teams opened the 2021 season in another neutral-site game at Charlotte, North Carolina, Georgia pulled out a 10-3 victory that launched the Bulldogs toward the first of what would be two straight national championships.

On Saturday, Clemson again failed to score a touchdown and the divide between the programs appeared to have grown substantially in the past three years.

Swinney is sure to face even more criticism that he's failed to adapt to the changing landscape in college athletics, especially when it comes to the transfer portal.

Georgia got key contributions from a pair of receivers who played last season at other schools. Former Miami player Colbie Young hauled in the first touchdown of the season on a 7-yard reception in the third quarter. London Humphreys, a transfer from Vanderbilt, scored on a 40-yard pass play and grabbed a huge third-down catch over the middle.

“That wide receiver room has so much depth,” Beck said. “Everyone wants to say guys left and there's no talent there, but there's so much talent. We have so much confidence in every single guy that goes out there.”

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Paul Newberry, The Associated Press