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It's the opening week of college football and Clemson will face Duke on Monday night. We are here to share our college football odds series, make a Clemson-Duke prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
Clemson went 11-3 last season, including 8-0 in the ACC. Now, they will try to win at least 10 games for the 13th straight season. Their season ended with a thump when they fell 31-14 to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. Still, it was a good season, and they will hope to build on that this season.
They will have to do it without cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., who is now in the NFL after the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the second round. Also, they lost linebacker Baylor Spefer, who joined the Buffalo Bills after they drafted him in the seventh round. Clemson also lost safety Nolan Turner, linebacker James Skalski, cornerback Mario Goodrich, and wide receiver Justyn Ross to the NFL.
Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is making his debut with the Tigers. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin returns for a second season. The defense underperformed last season, and he will try to get them back on track.
Duke went 9-4 last season, including 5-3 in the ACC. Now, Mike Elko returns for a second season as head coach and will look to improve upon last season. They had a productive season, which ended with a 30-13 win over UCF in the Military Bowl. Now, they hope to make it back to another bowl game. Quarterback Riley Leonard returns to quarterback the team. Likewise, linebacker Graham Barton is a potential future NFL star.
Clemson leads the all-time series 37-16. Additionally, they have won five in a row in this series, dating back to 2005. The Tigers won the last matchup 35-6 at home in 2018.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Clemson-Duke Odds
Clemson: -13 (-110)
Duke: +13 (-110)
Over: 55.5 (-110)
Under: 55.5 (-110)
How to Watch Clemson vs. Duke
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV
Time: 8:01 PM ET/5:01 PM PT
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Clemson Will Cover The Spread
Quarterback Cade Klubrik will be the story, as he attempts to play turnover-free football. Additionally, tight end Jake Briningstool is a star in the making. But the Tigers will ultimately rise or fall on the backs of the offense. Moreover, the target is 200 yards. When the Tigers ran for 200 yards or more, they often won the game last season. Conversely, when they could not, they struggled to generate any wins.
They have a three-headed monster that is ready to rumble. First, there is runningback Will Shipley Jr. Shipley ran 220 times for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns on a 5.6 yards per carry rate. Shipley also caught 38 passes for 242 yards with a 6.4 yards per-catch rate. Amazingly, his ability to run the ball and catch passes has made him one of the strongest weapons in the ACC. Phil Mafah is exceptional, as he rushed 98 times for 515 yards and four touchdowns. Furthermore, he also caught nine passes for 48 yards. Dominique Thomas made the most of his limited chances as he rushed seven times for 31 yards.
But special teams will also play a factor for the Tigers. Ultimately, they must improve to give the Tigers a chance to dominate. Shipley will likely return kicks and provides the weapon the Tigers need to thrive.
Clemson will cover the spread if they can run the ball efficiently. Then, the special teams must rise to the occasion.
Why Duke Will Cover The Spread
Leonard threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns. But Leonard also has some good running back options to choose. First, there is Jordan Waters. He rushed 123 times for 566 yards and eight touchdowns. Then, there is Jaquez Moore. He ran 79 times for 508 yards and five scores last season. Also, Jaylen Coleman is another option in the backfield. Coleman rushed 102 times for 480 yards. The Blue Devils also have two receivers that can thrive. Significantly, Jalon Calhoun caught 62 passes for 873 yards and four touchdowns while Jordan Moore had 60 receptions for 656 yards and five scores.
The defense have some work to do. Consequently, they must avoid allowing too many gaps in the running lanes, and not let the Tigers run all over them. They also must not let the Tigers control the clock.
Duke will cover the spread if they can control the clock and run the ball efficiently. Then, they must stop the run.
Final Clemson-Duke Prediction & Pick
Clemson is a heavy favorite. Ultimately, their running game will prove too much for the Blue Devils to handle. Clemson covers the spread.
Final Clemson-Duke Prediction & Pick: Clemson: -13 (-110)
