Irish Hoping to Silence Roar of Tigers
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will look to turn their season around in a home primetime clash with the No. 5 Clemson Tigers on Saturday. After a terrible start, Notre Dame (5-3) has turned the corner in recent weeks, including a 41-24 win over No. 22 Syracuse. Quarterback controversy swirls around Clemson (8-0, 6-0 ACC) ahead of this anticipated battle.
The Tigers must stay undefeated for a College Football Playoff appearance. The Fighting Irish hope to play spoiler this weekend and give coach Marcus Freeman his first highlight win.
Let’s check the latest college football odds, stats, injury reports and college football lines for Clemson vs Notre Dame. We’ve plenty of NCAA football odds for you to consider.
Clemson Hoping for Quarterback Solution
At 8-0, Clemson is in the playoff picture. With the SEC and Big Ten featuring multiple contenders, the Tigers must keep winning. One loss could end Clemson’s postseason aspirations.
Furthermore, Clemson has a concerning issue that must be solved. Throughout the season, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was showing vast improvement compared to last season’s poor play. Against Syracuse in Week 8, Uiagalelei had a rough outing, including two interceptions in the first three quarters.
Coach Dabo Swinney pulled the third-year QB and inserted five-star true freshman Cade Klubnik. On his first drive, Klubnik led a 15-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. The Tigers would pull off the comeback, defeating Syracuse 27-21.
Coming off of a bye, the Tigers must solve their quarterback situation. For now, Uiagalelei is expected to remain the starter, but Klubnik will be applying pressure. If Uiagalelei’s struggles continue against Notre Dame, Swinney could name Klubnik the full-time starter.
Running back Will Shipley is establishing himself as the star of the offense. He comes off back-to-back games with over 120 rushing yards while running for over six yards per carry.
WILL SHIPLEY! CLEMSON LEADS!
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 22, 2022
Clemson is winning games by controlling the run game on both sides of the ball.
Notre Dame Leaning on Run Game
Notre Dame has nothing to lose against Clemson. The Fighting Irish will go all out, whether it be trick plays or sheer effort. Notre Dame dismantled Syracuse, a team Clemson narrowly beat. Also, the Fighting Irish hung tough with No. 3 Ohio State in the season opener (21-10). Notre Dame has a realistic shot against No. 5 Clemson.
The Fighting Irish have gotten back to their brand of football: running the ball and playing good defense. Notre Dame has posted over 220 rushing yards in back-to-back games. During the two-game winning streak, running backs Logan Diggs and Audric Estime have been a two-headed monster. Notre Dame’s offensive line is steadily improving, opening up opportunities on the ground.
The passing game is still lacking with quarterback Drew Pyne. With his inaccuracies and a weak receiving corps, it will stay this way. Pyne needs to be a game manager and take care of the ball. The rushing attack is the heart and soul of Notre Dame’s offense.
On defense, Notre Dame has held its last two opponents to under 300 yards. The pass rush has dominated with consecutive four-sack outings. Defensive end Isaiah Foskey has been on fire, totaling four sacks and five tackles for loss since Week 8.
Clemson vs Notre Dame Game Injuries
Clemson vs Notre Dame Head-to-Head
Clemson leads the series with a 4-2 record. In 2020, Notre Dame played in the ACC and faced the Tigers twice. Clemson won the last matchup 34-10 in the ACC Championship Game.
Clemson vs Notre Dame Game Information
- Game: Clemson vs Notre Dame
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN
- Day/Time: Saturday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Clemson vs Notre Dame Live Stream: ESPN
Clemson vs Notre Dame Betting Lines
Clemson vs Notre Dame Prediction
Whoever controls the run game will win on Saturday night. Clemson’s Uiagalelei is capable of changing the outcome of this game. However, he is in a slump. The Tigers’ offense starts and ends with the run. Even when Klubnik played, Clemson heavily leaned on its rushing attack.
Notre Dame’s defense limited one of the country’s top running backs, Sean Tucker, to 3.8 yards per carry last week. Plus, the Fighting Irish pass rush has a favorable matchup against Clemson’s offensive line, which is mediocre in pass protection. The Tigers’ run defense has allowed 5.3 yards per carry over the last two games, which bodes well for Notre Dame’s ground game.
The Fighting Irish will cover and win outright, ending Clemson’s playoff hopes.
The Clemson Tigers are listed at -180 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Clemson, you have a chance to win $56. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are +160, offering a chance to win $160 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Clemson Tigers a 64.29%% chance to win, with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 38.46%%.
“The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.”