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College Football Playoff 2019: Top 5 Week 1 games with biggest implications

By Tanner Nestle

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks on in the first quarter against the Florida Gators during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks on in the first quarter against the Florida Gators during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Clemson Tigers QB Trevor Lawrence
SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 07: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Clemson Tigers looks to pass against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi’s Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

5. Georgia Tech vs. Clemson (Thursday, Aug. 29)

This one should be over as soon as Trevor Lawrence tightens his shoelaces.

Heck, it was over long before that. Georgia Tech shouldn’t be able to hold a candle to Clemson as a team transitioning from Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense to Geoff Collins’ new-look Yellow Jackets. But that’s exactly why this game is on this list. Fans will tune in for this game on Thursday knowing it should be a blowout because they want to see what the national title favorites will look like.

The former Temple head coach and Florida defensive coordinator, and new Georgia Tech head coach will do his best to slow down what might be a historic Clemson offense, but he won’t be able to do much. Trevor Lawrence is being coined as one of the best quarterback prospects in the history of the game and all of his weapons from last season are back. Alabama couldn’t slow these Tigers down so I’m not counting on Georgia Tech to be able to.

I don’t think I’m out of line to suggest that Clemson has no shot to lose this game, so hopes for making the Playoff aren’t going to be affected. We’re going to be watching this game to see just how dominant Clemson is.

If the final score is around 33-10, there will be a lot of buzz about a national title hangover. But if the Tigers hang 60-plus on the Jackets, the talk of this being one of the best teams ever will get off to an uncontrollable start.

The road to back-to-back national titles for Clemson starts Thursday night. Love them or hate them, we’ll all be watching.

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