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Clemson stole a bid when they beat SMU in the ACC Championship and is excited to be here. Then, Texas is in line for a revenge spot after losing in the SEC Championship to Georgia. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Clemson-Texas prediction and pick.
Clemson-Texas Last Game – Matchup History
This is the first-ever matchup between these two programs. They have never met in their storied football histories. The only comparison for this year is that they shared a common opponent of Georgia, and the Bulldogs beat Clemson 34-3, and then they also beat Texas 30-15 and 22-19 this year.
Overall Series: They have never met
Here are the Clemson-Texas College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Clemson-Texas Odds
Clemson: +11.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +350
Texas: -11.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -465
Over: 51.5 (-114)
Under: 51.5 (-106)
How to Watch Clemson vs. Texas
Time: 4:00 pm ET/1:00 pm PT
TV: TNT/Max
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Clemson Could Cover The Spread/Win
Clemson's offense has been great this season. The offense is averaging 454.9 total yards and 35.5 points per game. The key for the offense is how Cade Klubnik plays under center. He has 3,303 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns, and five interceptions with a 63.7% completion percentage.
The receiving corps has been balanced for the most part, but Antonio Williams has stood out as the leader. He has 838 yards and 10 touchdowns on 71 receptions.
The running game has also been a massive key, thanks to Phil Mafah. He has 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns on 214 carries.
This offense has a massive test in front of them. The Tigers need to hit big plays to be successful. Texas has been one of the best defenses in college football this year, ranking third in total defense. If Clemson cannot hit big plays, Texas will win this game easily.
Clemson's defense has been solid this season but not nearly as good as they have been in the past. They are allowing 364.9 yards and 22.3 points per game. The Tigers are solid against the pass but have struggled against the run. They allow 214.4 yards through the air and 150.5 yards per game on the ground.
There is talent on the defense, mainly up front with Barrett Carter, Sammy Brown, and T.J. Parker. The Texas offense has a lot of talent, led by Quinn Ewers under center, but they have struggled to get back on track in recent weeks, and Ewers has been dealing with an ankle injury.
This Clemson defense needs to get pressure and beat Ewers up under center because if he has any time, then Texas is going to consistently beat them through the air and can keep them honest on the ground.
Why Texas Could Cover The Spread/Win
Texas' offense has been solid this season, but they have failed to live up to expectations this year. The offense is averaging 445.4 total yards and 33.6 points per game.
The key is the quarterback in this offense. Quinn Ewers is the main quarterback, but Arch Manning will also play in this game in certain packages. Ewers has 2,665 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, and nine interceptions with a 66.2% completion percentage.
The receiving corps has been very balanced this year. Matthew Golden is the leading receiver with 738 yards and eight touchdowns on 47 receptions. The running game has also been solid, with Quintrevion Wisner taking over as the starting running back with 863 yards and three touchdowns on 176 carries.
This Texas offense has felt like it was stuck in a rut recently, and they need to snap out of it in this game against Clemson. The Tigers have the ability to get to Ewers, but Wisner is the difference and should be able to run against this Clemson defense.
Texas's defense has been the best statistically in the SEC and the third best in the country. It allows 249.8 yards and 12.5 points per game. Texas also has the best pass defense in the SEC, allowing 143.1 yards through the air. It has also been great against the ground, allowing 106.7 yards per game.
There is talent all over this defense, with Anthony Hill Jr. and David Gbenda in the linebacking corps and Andrew Mukuba and Michael Taaffe in the secondary. Cade Klubnik has been good but not great, and this is the best defense he will face all year.
Texas should get to Klubnik in this game early and often, and they will confuse him throughout the game. Texas' defense is the X-factor, and it should bother Clemson's offense throughout the game in this matchup at home.
Final Clemson-Texas Prediction & Pick
Clemson is very lucky that they got into the College Football Playoff because of all the help they needed. They deserve credit for taking advantage, but this is an awful matchup for them in the first round. Thanks to how well their defense has played, Texas should shut down Clemson on offense. The offense should do enough in this game to help the Longhorns win and cover at home.
Final Clemson-Texas Prediction & Pick: Texas -11.5 (-110)
