September 04, 2021

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs opened their 2021 season with a 10-3 victory over the third-ranked Clemson Tigers in front of 74,187 fans at Bank of America Stadium and an ABC nationally televised audience on Saturday evening.
 
With the victory, Georgia improved to 98-27-3 in season openers, including 6-0 under head coach Kirby Smart. The Bulldogs increased their series advantage over the Tigers to a 43-18-4 margin. The win marked the end of Clemson’s 10-game win streak against SEC opponents in the regular season dating back to 2014.

Redshirt junior quarterback J.T. Daniels began his second season under center for the Bulldogs (1-0) with a 22-of-30 passing performance for 135 yards. As a team, the Bulldogs ran for 121 yards on 31 attempts. Junior tailback Zamir White led the Bulldogs with 74 yards rushing. True freshman tight end Brock Bowers led the team in receiving yards with six catches for 43 yards.

The Georgia defense proved their worth, allowing 180 total yards of Clemson offense and only four plays of over 10 yards. The Bulldogs were especially impressive on third down, with the Tigers (0-1) only converting on 5-of-16 opportunities.

Junior defensive back Lewis Cine led the team with nine tackles and two pass breakups, while senior outside linebacker Adam Anderson and junior inside linebacker Nakobe Dean each tallied five tackles. Dean led the team with two sacks and two tackles for loss. Anderson, senior defensive lineman Jordan Davis, and juniors Travon Walker and Nolan Smith each had one sack. The seven sack performance by the Bulldogs defense marked one shy of the school record for sacks in a game.

COURTESY GEORGIA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS