The biggest games are not always the most important games for a team when they play the regular season. Rivalries are important, but with the new rules of the 12-team playoff, conference games can be the real key to earning a spot in the postseason.
Then again, we all still have to keep our eyes out for that trap game against an opponent that might not get the same attention as a recent two-time national champion or the defending conference champion.
Here are the five most important games for Clemson Football this upcoming season.
No. 5: Clemson vs Georgia
Many people would have this game ranked at No. 1 on this list. It is a huge game. I am old enough to remember how heated the rivalry was when the two programs stopped playing annually years ago. The two campuses are incredibly close together.
Not to mention a win by Clemson would shock the world and publicly announce that the Tigers are back in contention for national accolades.
All this is true and a big reason why it is an exciting contest. This is, however, a list of the most important games, and this game isn’t nearly as important for Clemson as it is exciting for fans.
Objectively, Clemson is a long shot to win this game in Atlanta. Fans should want the victory, but the truth is that all Clemson needs to do is look respectable. More than likely, Clemson’s fate at the end of the 2024 regular season will be defined by the eleven games that follow the opener, not what they do against Georgia.
It ranks in the top five because of the rivalry, which is one of the best things about college football. When it comes to importance, it only beat out Clemson’s November visit to Virginia Tech by a hair.
Next: Appalachian State at Clemson