The Clemson Tigers made a tremendous statement last week when they went on the road and handed Miami its worst loss in school history. The Tigers though, are still on upset alert this week as we see it against the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Clemson is never going to have more steam on its side than it has this week after clocking Miami. A week after opening up at less than a touchdown favorite at Miami ( and finishing up at -9.5 ), the Tigers opened up Week 9 at -10 against what is quietly a 5-2 N.C. State team which could get into the rankings with an upset in this one.
The total opened at 52 and has held steady since.
KEY MISMATCH
When N.C. State has struggled, the common thread has been the fact that Jacoby Brissett hasn't been able to use his legs to win games. In the duels against Virginia Tech and Louisville, the only two legitimate games the Wolfpack have had on their docket thus far this year, Brissett has combined to have a total of six rushing yards.
Part of what makes Brissett such a great college football quarterback is the fact that he can get out of the pocket and move around. He had 529 yards and three TDs last season on the ground to go with his 23/5 TD/INT ratio.
The Tigers have a good enough defensive front to keep Brissett in the pocket. Can he beat them with just his arm as an asset? It's tough to see how after Clemson managed a shutout last week against Miami.
KEY STAT
0 – The number of teams with a winning record at the FBS level N.C. State has played against this year. In fact, the Wolfpack are the only team in the Power 5 conferences to not play a single game against a team with at least a .500 record yet this year, and the teams they've played against are a combined 11-29 against FBS teams.
BETTING ANGLE
This is just a really bad spot on the schedule for the Tigers. Time and time again, we've seen teams fall in these sandwich games, and this is that prototypical meat in the middle of two big, fat pieces of bread. Clemson might've beaten up Miami last week, but it is looking ahead to Florida State as well in two weeks in the de facto ACC Atlantic Division title game.
Let's not forget that the Tigers are 0-3 ATS the last three seasons in their last FBS game prior to that massive duel with FSU.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Yes, we've picked on the schedule for N.C. State quite a bit, but we're still not buying into Clemson as a team which can win this game by some massive margin for a second straight week.
Deshaun Watson is improving, but this offense isn't as good as the 58 points it put on the board against Miami. The defense is going to have to create a lot of turnovers to put that number of points on the board, and Brissett, for all of his flaws, does a great job of not putting his offense into trouble.
The Wolfpack aren't going to win this game, but the Tigers are going to get a heck of a fight. We see a similar game here to the game Clemson played against Louisville earlier this season.
Clemson 24, North Carolina State 20
The college football lines for this Saturday game surfaced at BookMaker before anywhere else on the internet. The Clemson Tigers opened as favorites at -10 while the total debuted at 52. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Clemson Tigers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack is set for Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Carter-Finley Stadium. The contest will be broadcast on ABC.
