CHARLOTTE, N.C. – While Clemson and Georgia are bitter old rivals -- they’ve played 65 times since 1897 -- there was a lot of newness associated with their game Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium.
Hard as it might be to believe, considering the history of accomplishment for the two programs, it was the first time in the schools’ history they met as top-5 programs. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked No. 5, while the Tigers came in No. 3. They were Nos. 5 and 8, respectively, when they played at Clemson in 2013.
And they haven’t met at a neutral site, such as this since 1916. That year Clemson and Georgia played in Anderson, S.C. Despite playing “on the road,” the Bulldogs won that one 26-0.
Nothing previously compared with the scene that surrounded Saturday’s meeting. Thousands of fans for both teams crammed into Romare Bearden Park two blocks from the stadium to provide a colorful and noisy backdrop for ESPN’s “College” GameDay show. There, the infamous pregame prognosticator Lee Corso employed a fake-out maneuver. After stating that he was going to pick Clemson, he uttered his well-known catchphrase – “not so fast” – and then donned the big, cloth Bulldog head worn by Georgia’s human mascot, Hairy Dawg.
Before kickoff, there was a “passing of the microphone” in the Georgia Bulldogs Network booth. On Saturday, former Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley worked his first game as the Bulldogs’ sideline reporter. Chuck Dowdle, who handled that responsibility for 11 seasons, flew in from his new home state of Maine to personally pass the torch to Shockley. But he did it from the safe distance of the press box as only Shockley was cleared to be on the field.
“D.J. is going to be so awesome for Georgia,” Dowdle said. “I’m so happy for him, and for Georgia.”
On the field, six Georgia players were getting their first career starts. Freshman Ladd McConkey (WR), freshman Brock Bowers (TE), redshirt freshman Tate Ratledge (RG), redshirt freshman Sedrick Van Pran (C), junior Travon Walker (DE) and senior Ameer Speed (LCB). Senior transfer Derion Kendrick (RCB) made his first start.
Though Georgia kept tight end Darnell Washington and defensive back Tykee Smith as potential starters on the game-day roster, neither was dressed out, and were wearing a plastic walking boot on their injured legs. Otherwise, all the other Bulldogs -- 86 in all traveled here -- were suited up and ready to compete.
Georgia leads the series 42-18-4 and has won six of the past seven meetings. Clemson won that one in 2013, 38-35.
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