Georgia State Panthers vs. Clemson Tigers Complete Game Preview

Saturday was very disappointing for the Clemson Tigers, but they will have an opportunity to get back on track in front of the home crowd against Georgia State this Saturday. Whether it was quarterback Deshaun Watson being injured or the offense failing to get anything going, not much went right for the Tigers in the 28-6 loss to Georgia Tech.

Watson likely won’t see action in this game, so which quarterback will we see? Senior Cole Stoudt was benched in the second half after throwing three interceptions, and Nick Schuessler was 4-of-4 passing in the few drives that he played.

You can’t overlook any opponent, but the big target is still two weeks away. The showdown with the South Carolina Gamecocks will be the most anticipated game of the season, but the Tigers will need to stay focused this Saturday and avoid any kind of letdown.

Georgia State's Keys to Victory

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Force Turnovers and Win the Field Position Battle Early

Georgia State doesn't have the same level of talent as Clemson, so it will need to take advantage of possible turnovers. The Panthers can flip the field position by forcing mistakes early in this game.

Find a Way to Move the Ball on Clemson’s Defense

I don’t see a way that Georgia State will be able to move the ball consistently, but this will be the key if the Panthers hope to come away victorious. As much as Clemson’s offense has struggled, there are no guarantees in this game.

Clemson's Keys to Victory

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Don’t Beat Yourself with Turnovers

Turning the ball over and putting the defense in bad situations could lead to early points for Georgia State. The Panthers are overmatched by the Tigers, but that doesn’t mean Clemson will run away with things. It will be important that Clemson doesn’t overlook this matchup or make critical mistakes early.

Keep Doing What You Do Defensively

The defense has played lights out all season, and I don’t see any reason why it won’t this Saturday. Even if the offense struggles, the defense likely won’t allow many points on the board. The Tigers need to keep playing disciplined against the run and get after the quarterback on third down.

Georgia State Players to Watch

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Nick Arbuckle

The Panthers quarterback has thrown 19 touchdowns this season, but he’s also tossed 12 interceptions. The Tigers will likely come after him on passing downs, so it will be interesting to see how he responds to that pressure. Arbuckle is averaging 281.2 passing yards per game, so we could see a ton of passing in Georgia State’s game plan on Saturday.

Donovan Harden

Harden is Georgia State’s leading receiver, and he has caught seven touchdowns this season. He is averaging 15.3 yards per catch and 79.6 yards receiving per game, so he will likely be Arbuckle's primary target. Harden also fields punts for Georgia State, averaging 14.6 yards per return.

Clemson Players to Watch

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Nick Schuessler

Watson’s status is still up in the air for the South Carolina game, so the Tigers will need to have another quarterback prepared. I hate to sound pessimistic, but Stoudt just doesn’t appear to be the answer. I’m not sure if it’s an injury or a lack of confidence, but the offense isn’t the same with him at quarterback. With it being senior day, the chances are very high that Stoudt will start Saturday, but I think we will see a good bit of Schuessler. Getting him reps and experience will be important if he has to play the following week.

Wayne Gallman

Gallman will be a very important player in the in-state rivalry in a couple of weeks, so Tigers fans would like to see him continue his momentum in this game. He is coming off an 82-yard performance, and he has become the most reliable back for the Tigers this season.

What They're Saying

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Clemson Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris

On Stoudt’s confidence, per David Hood of TigerNet.com: “I think it goes back to the fact that there a lot of things involved in it. We have to get Cole back to playing the way he did against Georgia and the confidence level he was playing at.”

On how Watson’s injury affected the team: “I think it let the air out of some guys. You try to get those guys going and keep them upbeat as possible. We have to put it on somebody, and somebody has to take this over.”

Clemson Running Back Wayne Gallman (Former High School Teammate of Schuessler)

On Schuessler in pressure situations, per Nikki Steele of TigerNet.com: “Nick just has that calm, focused attitude in the backfield, and I know that he’s just going to be prepared.”

On what to expect from Schuessler: “He’ll do what he needs to. I think he has all of the qualities of being a good quarterback or a great quarterback, but he hasn’t really had that much opportunity here. I think this upcoming week he’s going to have to really get in tune with what he’s doing.”

Predicted Outcome

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I would be surprised if the Tigers don’t run away with this game. I would love to say that they will put up 50 or more points and make this game a blowout, but I’m just not sure what to expect from the offense anymore.

The defense won’t allow more than 10 points on the board, though, and that will be the reason for the lopsided score in the end.

Georgia State just doesn’t have the talent that Clemson does—a big reason why the Panthers are almost 40-point underdogs in this game—so an upset would be a very bold prediction. I like the Tigers to get back on track this week and get some of their confidence back on the offensive side of the ball.

Clemson 37, Georgia State 6