Greg McElroy identifies keys to victory for both Clemson, Georgia in Week 1 showdown

The first of a trio of Top-25 matchups during the opening weekend in college football is arguably the most marquee with No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson from Atlanta.

Ahead of that early game which he’ll be calling on Saturday, Greg McElroy previewed the keys to it between the Bulldogs and Tigers on ‘Get Up’ on Thursday. That started with Phil Mafah as Clemson’s lead back now. He should be a key versus a defense that was slightly worse against the rush last fall than they’ve been.

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“I look at this and it’s really about Phil Mafah, Clemson’s running back who’s outstanding by the way,” said McElroy. “Starting at the end of last year, the last five games of the year, he averaged like 20, 21 carries a game. He never had more than 16 in his career in the eight games prior to last year. He really became a bellcow. He’s a physical runner that can get downhill.”

Mafah, the graduate senior, is coming off his best year in 2023. He rushed 179 times last fall for 965 yards, at 5.4 a touch and 74.2 a game, with 13 scores. That included 106 carries for 526 yards, which averages to 105.2 a game, and seven scores in the final five. Those games were their best stretch as a team of the year as all were Clemson wins.

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He’ll now face a ‘Dawg defense that allowed 37.8 more yards a game and 1.2 more yards a carry in 2023 than they had on average from 2019 to 2022.

As for the top-ranked team in the nation, McElroy looked no further than their quarterback in Carson Beck. If he is what he was or better from his starting debut last year, Georgia should be just fine. However, if the Tigers can get their pass rush going, it could even things back out.

“On the other side, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the ’25 Draft is Carson Beck,” McElroy said. “He’s amazing. I mean he is so, so good when his feet are set. So similar in stature and the way his game kind of looks a little like Tom Brady in the sense where, when his feet are set, he will tear you apart.”

“Clemson has made a living putting pressure on the quarterback over the years. If they can do it, they might have some success,” added McElroy.

Beck completed 72.4% of his passes last season for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Now, as a fifth-year senior, he’s in early contention for The Heisman Trophy. He also projects as one of the top overall picks for the NFL Draft.

His first opposition, though, will be a defense that has routinely been among the best over the last dozen years. That includes them posting 43.8 sacks a season and 3.4 a game since 2012.

This will be the highest-ranked meeting of week one with a pair of recent national title winners and contenders playing inside Mercedes-Benz. With that, McElroy thinks those respective offensive stars against their given defense will be what makes the difference in who starts their year with a win.