Friedlander: Are Clemson’s freshmen being thrown to the Dawgs in opener?

Clemson football starts the 2023 season against No. 1 Georgia

After a historically successful season that ended with an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance, the Clemson Tigers are set to begin the 2023 season with a daunting task: hosting the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on September 2.

Featuring a historically talented defense, the Bulldogs are a heavy favorite to not only defeat Clemson but potentially to run the table and win the College Football Playoff. Both of Clemson's starting quarterbacks, Cade Klubnik and Cade Klubnik, are true freshmen, as are several other players expected to start against the Dawgs.

Are Clemson’s freshmen ready for such a big stage?

That's the question posed by The Clemson Insider's Josh Newberg following the Tigers' first scrimmage of the fall, on Saturday at Death Valley.

• Newberg writes that, despite several impressive drives by the offense during the first portion of the scrimmage that was open to the media, the second half of the scrimmage revealed concerns about Clemson's offense.
• Those concerns, according to Newberg, centered around the play of the two freshman quarterbacks, who struggled against what is considered to be a subpar Clemson defense.
• The two QBs combined to misfire on several throws and had some critical mistakes.

What’s the answer?

Only time will tell whether Clemson’s freshmen are ready for the big stage. But if they’re not, it could be a long day for the Tigers against Georgia.

Conclusion

Clemson's freshmen will be facing a tough test when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the season opener. The Bulldogs have one of the best defenses in the country, and they will be looking to make a statement against the Tigers. If Clemson's freshmen can step up and play well, they could help the Tigers pull off an upset. But if they struggle, it could be a long day for Clemson.