Clemson gets its first test of the season and puts the No. 12 ranking on the line against undefeated and sixth-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday. Despite being ravaged by injuries, the Irish continue to win games, but will face a challenge in Death Valley. Clemson is 41-6 at home in seven seasons under coach Dabo Swinney and have won 11 straight, going 8-3 ATS in that stretch. The Irish are just 2-5 under coach Brian Kelly on the road against ranked teams.
ODDS
The line jumped the fence after Clemson opened as a 1.5-point favorite. The spread has bounced all over the board with Notre Dame being wagered as a 1-point fave on the latest line. The total opened at 53 and spiked to 54.5. The game figures to be as close as the betting says and stingy defenses give the under plenty of value.
KEY MISMATCH
Opposing defenses have yet to find an answer to defend Irish running back C.J. Prosise. Thrust into the spotlight following the season-ending injury to Malik Zaire, Prosise has helped spearhead the Notre Dame offense with a mix of explosive plays and solid gains to move the sticks. As a team, the Irish have tallied seven touchdowns of at least 50 yards – already the most for an entire season in Kelly’s six-year run. It also helps to run behind an offensive line like Notre Dame’s. Prosise has rushed for 600 yards this season, the most by any Irish player in the season’s first four games. And he’s gone at least five yards past the line of scrimmage without being touched on 24 of his 74 carries, the highest percentage of any Power Five running back. “There’s times when I’m getting 10 yards before I even get touched by anybody,” he said.
KEY STAT
260.7 – Clemson’s yards per game allowed. The Tigers rank ninth nationally after leading the country last season. They have yet to be truly tested in three games this season. Notre Dame averages 531.3 yards of offense and has accumulated the sixth-most rush yards.
BETTING ANGLE
Clemson eased into the season with wins over FCS Wofford, Appalachian State and Louisville. Now the Tigers get a chance to put their No. 12 ranking to the test. Too often over the past few seasons, Clemson has seen its chances for bigger things crash in marquee games. It happened in 2011 when the 8-0 Tigers were defeated by Georgia Tech, 31-17. Then again two years later when their 6-0 season was ended by Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston and Florida State. A visit from Notre Dame figures to be Clemson’s biggest chance to move into the playoff picture. Florida State will also pay a visit in November. Clemson was the preseason pick to win the ACC title, and while the Tigers are 3-0 for the fourth time in five years, the showing has come against some less than stellar competition.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Even the betting odds see this one as a tossup. Notre Dame has faced stiffer competition while Clemson squeaked by Louisville two weeks ago in its first test of the season. The job gets more difficult with the Irish in town, but the Tigers will surely benefit from the raucous home environment. Notre Dame has rallied around redshirt freshman quarterback Deshone Kizer, and heading into Death Valley with only two starts on his resume will be a daunting task. But he won’t have to go it alone. Prosise has been a beast and the O-line has allowed Notre Dame to control the line during its games. The Irish should be able to penetrate Clemson’s D, which hasn’t really been tested this season. Notre Dame did a masterful job clamping down on Georgia Tech’s triple option and outside of a few big plays, played well last week. Expect the defense to do enough to slow down Deshaun Watson and Tigers and escape with a close win.
Notre Dame 28, Clemson 26
BookMaker sent out the college football spread for this game at Clemson -1.5 with a total of 53. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The contest between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Clemson Tigers will take place Saturday, October 3, 2015, at 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on ABC.
