The 2021 Clemson football season is just days away from kickoff and looming large is major matchup against the historical rival Georgia.
The Tigers and Bulldogs will do battle in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte this weekend with kickoff time starting at 7:30 p.m. The stadium will be packed and millions more will be watching from home as the two top-five teams clash.
So, as we inch closer and closer to this big-time season-opener, what will the key be to finding a way to win this one?
The key for Clemson football to beat Georgia will be easy to identify
It’s understandable that Clemson football fans will be looking all over the field at the offensive weapons and the big names like D.J. Uiagalelei. They’ll be looking at the defensive backfield and its weaknesses as an area of concern.
But, if you want to know where the game will be won and lost, you need to fix your eyes on one simple place: The lines of scrimmage.
It’s easy and basically ‘coach speak’ to say that a game will be won on the lines of scrimmage. But it couldn’t more true heading into this one.
Both Clemson and Georgia boast strengths on the defensive line. The Tigers and Bulldogs have two of the defensive lines in the country and they’re going to be looking to get pressure on the respective quarterbacks in an effort to not only create havoc, but to hide the deficiencies in their defensive backfields.
Both Clemson and Georgia have concerns on the offensive line. If the Tigers and Bulldogs are going to have success, it’s all going to start with the offensive line getting a push.
The offensive line that does a better job at slowing down the opposing defensive line, and the defensive line that won’t be denied and finds a way to get more pressure, is going to give their team a better chance at winning.
So, when you sit down to watch the game Saturday night, it will be tempting to look all around and observe the moving parts. But, if you want to know who’s going to win the game, you just need to keep your eyes fixated on the lines of scrimmage and who does a better job at slowing down their opposing defensive front.