- After opening as 1-point favorites, the Clemson Tigers have fallen to 3-point underdogs against the Pittsburgh Panthers due to heavy betting action on Pittsburgh.
- The Tigers’ top-five defensive unit will look to slow Pittsburgh’s top-five passing offense as Clemson tries to cover their first spread of 2021.
PITTSBURGH – One of the top afternoon games for this week’s college football slate features two ACC title contenders, with the 5-1 Pittsburgh Panthers hosting the 4-2 Clemson Tigers.
The line opened with Clemson favored by 1-point but heavy betting action on the Panthers has flipped the line, with Pittsburgh currently sitting as a 3-point favorite with internet sportsbooks.
Pittsburgh Vs. Clemson Betting Odds
Spread:
- Pittsburgh -3 (-115)
- Clemson +3 (-105)
Pittsburgh favored.
Moneyline:
- Pittsburgh -160
- Clemson +135
Pittsburgh favored.
Points Total:
- OVER 48 -110
- UNDER 48 -110
Pittsburgh has broken into the Top 25 of the most recent AP Poll after getting off to a strong 5-1 start, including last week’s 28-7 win over Virginia Tech. The Panthers have also been fantastic ATS in 2021, covering the spread in 5 of their 6 games.
Pittsburgh has seen much of their success as a result of a high-flying offense, ranking sixth in the nation in points scored per game with 48.3. The offense has relied on their passing game, which has been spearheaded by quarterback Kenny Pickett. Pickett has completed 69.8% of his passes in 2021, throwing 21 touchdowns and just 1 interception. His arm has allowed Pittsburgh to rank fifth in the nation in passing yards per game with 358.
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Clemson, on the other hand, has been one of the most disappointing teams in the entire NCAA, losing to Georgia Tech and North Carolina State after being ranked second in the nation in preseason rankings.
They have won four of their six games in 2021; however, they have yet to cover even a single spread in those six games. While their against the spread struggles have been obvious, the blame cannot be placed on the defense. Clemson’s defensive unit has been one of the best in the NCAA, allowing just 12.5 points per game, good for second-best in the country.
However, Clemson’s offense has been nothing short of a disaster. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has averaged just 5.6 yards per attempt, throwing just 4 touchdowns compared to 3 interceptions on the year. The Tigers have not been particularly effective with the ground game either, tallying just 5 rushing touchdowns collectively. in 2021.
Expect the game to start tight, as is evident by the first quarter line: Pittsburgh is favored by just 0.5 points on the first quarter spread. Though the game may start tight, it may be a challenge for Clemson to keep up with Pittsburgh’s explosive offense; but, if Clemson’s defense can keep it close late in the game, the Tigers may be able to pull off the slight upset.
The game starts at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday and will air on ESPN.
Jerad is a new addition to the USAOnlineSportbooks.com writing team, writing about all things related to sports gambling. As an ex-college baseball player, he pairs a first-hand knowledge of the inner workings of high-level sports teams with years of experience successfully betting on many different sports in order to bring valuable insights to bettors. He also studied political science at UCF, equipping him with the knowledge to cover the political, legal, and legislative aspects of sports gambling.
