Clemson vs Notre Dame Betting Picks

Bet on Clemson vs Notre Dame

The top-ranked Clemson Tigers head to Notre Dame on Saturday to take on the fourth-ranked Fighting Irish at 7:30 pm ET. This game will be one of the top on the list this weekend for sports betting, so BetUS has all the Clemson vs Notre Dame betting picks ready for you.

This ACC battle between the two unbeaten powers of the conference has Clemson opening as the 5.5-point betting favorite. The over/under is 52 points. The 7-0 Tigers will again be without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who tested positive for COVID-19. In his stead will be freshman passer DJ Uiagalelei.

Clemson survived a scare from Boston College last week, coming back to win 34-28. Uiagalelei finished 30 of 41 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns, along with 25 yards rushing and another score.

Notre Dame is off to a 6-0 start of their own this college football betting season. The Fighting Irish’s most recent win was a 31-13 victory over Georgia Tech. Notre Dame is led by sophomore running back Kyren Williams and senior quarterback Ian Book.

Clemson vs Notre Dame Betting Picks: Head to Head

Notre Dame: Rushing Power

Williams is the star of the show on offense for Notre Dame. In just six games, Williams is averaging nearly six yards per carry for 600 yards and seven touchdowns, along with 12 receptions for another 180 yards.

The rushing attack doesn’t stop with him, though, as Notre Dame employs a balanced rushing trio, with Chris Tyree and C’Bo Flemister each getting over 40 carries on the year. Both runners average around six yards per carry themselves and have combined for 499 yards and five touchdowns.

Quarterback Ian Book also uses his legs. Book has 212 yards and five rushing touchdowns in six games to go along with his 1,225 yards passing and seven touchdowns. With Clemson having injuries littered throughout their defensive unit, this rushing attack should have a chance to shine.

Clemson: Absences Extend Beyond Lawrence

While the loss of Trevor Lawrence understandably captures the media attention, Clemson is weathering losses throughout their roster. The wide-receiver room has been hit by injuries. The defense has been ravaged by Covid and injuries of their own, especially the defensive line and linebacking corps.

As is the case when starters go down, the Tigers are playing underclassmen more than usual, and the young players are still looking to settle in. Even with the revolving door on defense, Clemson has held their opponents to just 15.6 points per game.

Clemson Offense without Lawrence

Without Lawrence, the 7-0 Tigers offense runs through running back Travis Etienne. The senior rusher has had an illustrious collegiate career, and his final year with the team has been just as strong. On the year, Etienne has 1,040 total yards (606 rushing and 434 receiving) and 11 total touchdowns.

Fellow senior Amari Rodgers is leading Clemson’s wide receivers with 40 receptions for 586 yards and six touchdowns. It wasn’t pretty, but Clemson did put up 34 points last week. This was without their star QB, and with an extra week of prep for Uiagalelei, the offense should be able to string drives together.

They’re in for their stiffest challenge of the year against what is a very strong Notre Dame defense, making it interesting for college football betting picks.

Notre Dame’s Playmaking Defense

Notre Dame’s defense has helped power the undefeated start, stifling the opposition. Besides giving up 26 points to Florida State, they’ve held their other five opponents under 13 points, including three games under seven points.

The Fighting Irish defense is led by the safety duo of Kyle Hamilton (28 tackles, three passes defended), and Shaun Crawford (18 tackles, three passes defended, and one interception).

The defensive line has playmakers throughout, including Isaiah Foskey (3.5 sacks) and Adetokunbo Ogundeji (3 sacks).

Just as Notre Dame is Clemson’s biggest test, so too is Clemson Notre Dame’s biggest test. The game of the week should be a good one as a classic strength on strength battle.

Clemson vs Notre Dame Betting Picks Final Thoughts

Even without Lawrence, Clemson is the top-ranked team in the country for a reason. Clemson has the weapons throughout to emerge victorious. The 5.5-point spread is tame for a Tigers team usually favored by double digits.

Notre Dame is having a great year. While, the Irish continue to fight their way into the College Football Playoff, it will be tough to do as long as the Dabo Swinney-led Tigers are in the way. Take advantage of these college football odds by taking Clemson.