Week one of the 2019 college football season is upon us, and there is an Atlantic Coast Conference game on the schedule. The Clemson Tigers are set to host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a battle of 2018 bowl teams. Clemson is the defending National Champions, and are one of the favorites to win the title again this season.
Clemson finished the 2018 season with a perfect 15-0 record and blew out the Alabama Crimson Tide in the National Championship Game. The Tigers had very little trouble with conference opponents a season ago. Georgia Tech finished the 2018 season with a 7-6 record, including 5-3 in conference play. The Yellow Jackets are one of the favorites to win the Coastal Division this season. Clemson is a whopping -36.5 point favorite over Georgia Tech in this game.
Lawrence Back For Clemson
The Clemson Tigers had a ton of players selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they still have their best player back this season. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for over 3,280 yards a season ago and accounted for 31 touchdowns overall. Lawrence will have a great shot to win the Heisman Trophy this season, and he should put up some monster numbers in ACC play. Clemson averaged 44.3 points per game a season ago, and they want to play with a ton of pace on offense.
Clemson had the second-ranked defense in the country a season ago, allowing just 13.7 points per game. The Tigers had one of the most feared defensive lines in college football, but they lost a large chunk of their starters to the NFL. Clemson should still put up some low numbers on defense, but they will be tested by a great rushing attack from the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech Will Run the Ball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets led the country with 325.0 rushing yards per game a season ago, and they will use that same strategy this season. The Yellow Jackets threw for less than 100 yards per game in 2018, but they will have to use the pass to keep some balance against the Clemson Tigers. Georgia Tech should be able to have some long drives against Clemson, but they will have to find the end zone if they are going to keep pace.
The problem for Georgia Tech in 2018 was on the defensive side of the ball, as they allowed 29 points per contest. The Yellow Jackets gave up points in a hurry, and they struggled to defend against the top ACC offenses. If Georgia Tech is going to slow down Clemson, then they will have to find a way to get some pressure on Trevor Lawrence.
Clemson Wins, Georgia Tech Covers
Clemson is without a doubt the better team in this matchup, but a -36.5 point spread is huge for a conference game. Georgia Tech will have the ability to slow this game down with their rushing attack, and that will keep the Clemson offense off of the field. The Yellow Jackets will keep this game close for a while and will end up covering the large spread. Take the +36.5 points and bet on the Georgia Yellow Jackets in this matchup against the Clemson Tigers.
