Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview

There are massive implications both in the ACC and nationally in this week’s showdown between the No. 1 Clemson Tigers and the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. On the road, the undefeated Tigers are 5.5-point favorites over the undefeated Fighting Irish, with the over/under set at 51.5 points.
Thus far, Notre Dame is enjoying being part of a conference for the first time in program history. The Irish are 6-0 and 5-0 inside the ACC. After surviving competitive games with Florida State and Louisville, Notre Dame has looked impressive with lopsided wins over Pitt and Georgia Tech in recent weeks.
Despite playing three of their last four games on the road, a win over Clemson would make it difficult to envision the Fighting Irish not playing in the ACC Championship Game and having a chance to play in the College Football Playoff.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have not been at their best in recent weeks. They struggled to put away a feisty Syracuse team two weeks ago and barely escaped with a 34-28 win over Boston College last week. Nevertheless, Clemson remains the top-ranked team in the country and is on track to return to the CFP.
Missing Man
The game’s biggest storyline is undoubtedly the absence of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19. However, Lawrence’s absence is far from a dealbreaker for the Tigers. Freshman quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei proved to be a suitable backup last week, throwing for 342 yards and two touchdowns against Boston College. The Tigers also have one of the nation’s elite running backs in Travis Etienne, who is a game-changer in the backfield.
The Tigers have yet to face a defense as strong as Notre Dame’s. The Fighting Irish have held all but one of their opponents to 13 points or fewer this season. In fairness, Notre Dame’s schedule hasn’t been all that challenging. However, they held the dynamic Louisville offense to seven points last month, so there should be no questioning the talent the Irish have on that side of the ball.
Book It!
Offensively, the Irish appear to be rounding into form. Notre Dame’s offensive line and rushing attack have been consistent all season. The Irish rank 11th nationally in rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, the team’s younger receivers appear to be coming around.
Quarterback Ian Book can be trusted to make smart decisions and avoid mistakes. But the Notre Dame offense can reach another level if he has receivers capable of making plays down the field.
As for the Clemson defense, they’ve been far from dominant this season. But the Tigers have been able to rise to the occasion when needed. The defensive line should provide a suitable challenge for Notre Dame’s experienced offensive line. That could allow the Tigers to slow down the running game and disrupt the Notre Dame offense.
Same Old Story
Lawrence missing the game has certainly lowered the spread, but it doesn’t change that Clemson is the more talented team. The Tigers have a talented backup quarterback and still have the best player on the field with Etienne. The Irish will push them, but Clemson should find a way to get past the Irish. Bet on the Tigers to win and cover in South Bend.
Expert Pick: Clemson Tigers (-5.5)