Georgia battled Clemson for one half, but opened up the offense in the second half and won 34-3.

It was the Bulldogs’ 40th consecutive regular-season win, just five shy of the all-time record, held by Oklahoma in 1936 (45).

Quarterback Carson Beck went 23-of-33 for 278 yards and two touchdowns in the winning game. He faltered in the first two quarters, but got back on track in the second half.

It was the 11th straight season opener for Georgia football, while Kirby Smart has now won 21 games in a row with more than a week to prepare for an opponent that has been around since the 2018 season.

Here’s a quick reaction, via the Georgia football “Stock Report,” on how the Bulldogs’ players fared:

Stocks rise

Junior Malaki Starks showed why NFL scouts think he’s a first-rounder by making a killer interception that brought back memories of his college debut against Oregon in 2022. Starks slid seamlessly into the Star from his safety position, surprisingly cutting Joenel Agüero.

Junior Jalon Walker came out of a block and made a crucial third-and-1 stop in the third quarter. Walker, a hybrid linebacker, followed that up with a fourth-down sack, showing off his immense versatility and star power.

Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo struggled with defender Trevor Etienne and Rod Robinson out, but Bobo planned the game well and gave his attack time to develop in the first half, and also set up the second half expertly.

London Humphreys wisely used the field umpire as a pick to get open on his 40-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Humphreys also had a crucial 23-yard third-down catch that led to a score.

Tailback Nate Frazier made an impressive debut, breaking tackles and showing great vision in his first collegiate outing. Frazier broke off a 40-yard run after scoring his first Georgia touchdown on a 1-yard rush from the shotgun formation.

Sophomore Peyton Woodring shot a career-long field goal of 55 yards after making a 30-yard field goal to open the scoring.

True Freshman KJ Bolden showed the advantages Smart talked about, giving a perfect open-field hit to Clemson star running back Phil Mafah and continuing to play with a lot of physicality as a safety

Replenish stock

Lawson-Luckie played a strong game, catching two passes for 37 yards and being a key player in run blocking, which boosted the run game in the second half.

Arian Smith‘s hard work to become an every-down receiver paid off with an x-catch, x-yard performance. Smith, who possesses elite speed, proved he could do the dirty work of catching short and intermediate passes while also being a deep threat.

Cash Jones, who remains the running back had an inspiring 15-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, capping an impressive and necessary performance as the Bulldogs were short on running backs due to Trevor Etienne’s suspension and Rod Robinson’s absence with a toe injury.

Stock Even

Carson Beck had some impressive scrambles and a nice TD throw to Colbie Young, but he missed a crucial third-down throw to Dominic Lovett that should have been routine, leading to 3 points on a second-quarter drive instead of a potential 7. Beck also took a third-down sack on another red-zone trip. The bar is set very high for Beck as a fifth-year senior, returning starter and projected top NFL draft pick.

Stock down

Georgia’s defense line was being poked too often, and lower-body injuries to starting defensive tackles Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse and Mykel Williams (ankle) are a concern. Georgia gets a break with Tennessee Tech next on the schedule, giving all three starters a week off if needed.