Georgia vs. Clemson: Betting Preview + FanDuel Boost

College football didn't waste any time in giving us a primetime matchup that is worth setting aside time to watch the game. Gone is Trevor Lawrence, but both teams are ranked inside of the top 5 for the coach's poll. Not only will this be a fun game to watch and kick off the season with, FanDuelSportsbook is offering new users a 30:1 wager on the game. Simply pick either side of the game and bet $5 to win $150 if your team wins.

The game opened at 52.5 and has been bet down a bit to 51.5. Both teams have championship-caliber defenses so it isn't much of a surprise to me that the game has been bet towards the under. Last year, Georgia was listed as the 12th best defense in all of football and Clemson wasn't that far behind, ranked 15th. Both sides have enough returning starters and continuity from the coaching staff and scheme that this should not be an issue.

On the offensive side, we get two quarterbacks with experience from the previous year. JT Daniels has started four games throwing ten touchdowns and two interceptions. Clemson will have one advantage in that they won't need to be very concerned with Daniels leaving the pocket. For the Tigers, D.J. Uiagalelei takes over the team. Last year thanks to COVID, he started two games, a win over Boston College and a loss at Notre Dame in double overtime. Uiagalelei looked very solid in both games and should feel confident going into this season. Uiagalelei does like to take off if he has a chance, so Georgia will need to be aware of the threat to run.

As far as the side on this game, the line (3.5) hasn't moved at all on the game and appears to be mostly split. The Bulldogs getting 3.5 points is just a half-point off of that key number and makes this game a little more difficult. I think Georgia has a chance to win the game outright (+138), but it isn't something I feel strongly about. I have more faith in Clemson and Uiagalelei to win the game. My play for this game is on the under 51.5. I think defenses will shine. For the FanDuel bet, I'm playing Clemson. If I had to pick a side, I'd lean Georgia, but wouldn't feel great about it.