Heather Dinich: Dabo Swinney, Clemson could change national narrative in 'barometer' game vs. Georgia

Heather Dinich views No. 14 Clemson’s matchup with the top-ranked team in the nation as a measuring stick for the Tigers.

In an appearance on ‘Get Up’ on Friday, Dinich considered what would happen if Clemson knocked off No. 1 Georgia to open the season. To start, she too would have to gather herself following that kind of upset.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

“If that happens, first I’d have to pick myself up off the floor because I’m going to fall off the couch,” said Dinich.

However, Dinich’s real point is that being a statement for the Tigers. This game is already one that will determine where Clemson finds itself in the national picture to her. If they were to win it outright, it would represent that they’re closer to contention than some may have thought. It’d also be an earned opportunity for a victory lap by their head coach too.

Watch College Football Games Live -Try for Free Fubo! Click HERE NOW

“Second, if that happens, it says more about Clemson than it does about Georgia,” Dinich said. “This game is a barometer as to how far Clemson has to go to get back to that national title conversation. If they win this game, the narrative changes immediately about all the criticism that Dabo Swinney has had about not using the transfer portal.”

Clemson and Georgia have each been national winners and competitors over the playoff era. One has done so more recently, though, with the ‘Dawgs having dominated the 2020s so far after the Tigers’ run throughout the later years of the 2010s.

Those respective trajectories have each program where they find themselves today ahead of tomorrow’s game. Georgia has high expectations again at No. 1 overall coming into 2024. Meanwhile, Clemson, although Top-15 themselves, is meeting them in Atlanta as a two-score underdog to start another season that could be more of the same from them to this point of this decade.

Still, a win on Saturday changes all of that for the Tigers. Clemson would have a claim that they’d be back this season with them then set to potentially return to the playoff for the first time in four years.

Staples: ‘Georgia has widened the gap’ vs. Clemson by utilizing the transfer portal

On3’s Andy Staples joined Paul Finebaum on Tuesday and was asked for his thoughts on No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson.

Staples feels that Clemson’s roster hasn’t taken a step forward the way that Georgia’s has. That’s in large part due to the Bulldogs’ use of the transfer portal.

“You know, you go back to when they opened the season against each other in 2021? We had not had the NIL, full transfer portal, ability to flip rosters the way we can now,” Staples said. “Georgia obviously still recruits as well out of high school as anybody. Clemson recruits almost as well out of high school as anybody. But Clemson doesn’t do anything in the transfer portal. And, when Georgia has an issue, it goes and gets somebody.”

“Georgia has done that at every turn and Clemson hasn’t and I think that will be the difference.”

Overall, Staples feels good about Georgia winning this weekend in Mercedes-Benz.

“I mean you go back to the last time they opened the season against each other? It was a slobber knocker – 10-3,” Staples said. “You realize Georgia is ahead of Clemson at that point. I feel like Georgia has widened the gap and I think we’re going to see that on Saturday.”

“Dabo told us all last season towards the end, as they started to win games, to buy stock in Clemson. So maybe I’m completely wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have shorted them. But we’re going to find out.”