Clemson, Georgia name AJ Terrell, Kevin Butler honorary captains for Aflac Kickoff Game

Officials announced on Wednesday afternoon that A.J. Terrell and Kevin Butler will serve as the honorary captains for Clemson (Terrell) and Georgia (Butler) in the upcoming 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game between No. 14 ranked Clemson and No. 1 ranked Georgia. The move was announced via an official press release.

Terrell finished his three-year career with Clemson with 107 career tackles (3.5 tackles for loss), 20 pass breakups, six interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He played in a total of 44 career games for the Tigers with 30 starts during his time there. Terrell started all 15 games in his first year as starter in 2018, scoring the first points of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on a pick-six. He helped guide the Tigers to a 29-1 overall record as a starter. Terrell earned first team All-ACC honors in 2019 and third team All-ACC honors in 2018.

Kevin Butler earned first team All-SEC three times with Georgia. He was one of the greatest kickers in school history during his time with the Bulldogs. Butler kicked 77 field goals and 122 extra points during his time in Athens. He currently holds the record for the longest field goal in Georgia history with a 60-yard kick against Clemson in 1984. His 52.4% accuracy on field goal attempts longer than 50 yards or more was a record. Butler earned consensus All-American honors during his college career (1984). Not only is he a member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame, but he became the first kicker ever inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In the last meeting between the two schools, Georgia won 10-3 in 2021.

In this year’s version, Clemson rolls into it with plenty of weaponry on the offensive side of the football. The most productive commodity over the years has been running back Phil Mafah, who nearly cleared 1,000 all-purpose yards last season. He’s one of the nation’s best at his position. Last year, he rolled up 894 rushing yards and hauled in 105 receiving yards. With Will Shipley off to the NFL, the Tigers backfield is Mafah’s to dominate, and big things are expected of him this fall.

At wideout, Clemson has Tyler Brown and Antonio Williams coming back as their more experienced players. Brown burst onto the scene last year as a true freshman, hauling in over 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Antonio Williams had over 500 receiving yards his freshman year (2022), but dealt with a number of injuries during the 2023 season.

The Tigers welcome in two of the nation’s more electric freshman wideouts, T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco. Wesco flashed plenty of skill during the spring, but Moore was dominant during the U.S. Army All-American Game. Both players were Top 100 overall prospects in the 2024 On3 Industry Rankings. Look for both players to make a splash for the Clemson Tigers this fall.

Simply put, Georgia is Georgia. The Bulldogs are loaded with talent everywhere you look, and they’ll be one of the favorites to bring home the national championship this season. Georgia features the nation’s biggest and most athletic offensive line unit.

While quarterback Carson Beck has gotten most of the attention in preseason, plenty of people seem to have forgotten about running back Branson Robinson, the man who was the No. 2 ranked tailback in the 2022 On3 Industry Rankings. He’s back from a ruptured tendon he suffered last year in fall camp. Kirby Smart has been impressed with the way he’s looked in the past few weeks and that’s bad news for opponents.

A former state champion in weightlifting, Robinson benched 370 pounds, squatted 630 pounds, and deadlifted 720 pounds in high school. He’s one of the strongest running backs in the country and will be quite the force once he gets reacclimated with the playbook. Smart has noted that while he doesn’t have any limitations, there will be a degree of load management with him.

Former Florida star Trevor Etienne has rushed for over 700 yards in back-to-back seasons. He figures to be the main running back for the Bulldogs. It’s scary to think what he’ll be capable of behind the Georgia offensive line.

In addition to Branson Robinson and Etienne, the ‘Dawgs also have Roderick Robinson II in the backfield. He ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns last season. He’ll be yet another piece of depth the Bulldogs can roll out of the backfield.

And then there’s former Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) product Nate Frazier. The nation’s No. 2 running back prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Rankings has impressed early, even though his Georgia career has just gotten started. He’s impressed in early scrimmages and practices. For those who watched him in the 2024 US Army All-American Game, it’s not a surprise. A dynamic pass-catching weapon out of the backfield, it’ll be exciting to see how the Bulldogs’ coaches utilize him this fall.

That’s just a very brief look at both teams. It’ll be an exciting matchup and one of the more anticipated games of the 2024 college football season. Georgia and Clemson will get underway on Saturday, August 31st. Kickoff for that one is set for noon EST.