#7 Clemson Tigers (9-1, 6-1 ACC) vs North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC)
With a stellar one-loss season to its name so far, the only mark Clemson has against it is that it plays in the rather pedestrian (in football, at least) ACC. It has been a very redeeming season for the Tigers.
Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh NC
Saturday, Nov. 19, 3:30 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: Clemson -300, NC State +250
Spread: Clemson -7.5, NC State +7.5
Over/Under: 52.5
For a long time, Clemson football had the reputation for lots of talent and expectations, with no results. While closing in on double-digit wins this season, it must feel good for head coach Dabo Swinney, the Clemson players and its legion of crazy fans.
NC State, meanwhile, must be practicing self-flagellation after letting starting QB Russell Wilson transfer to Wisconsin. State head man Tom O’Brien was confident that senior pivot Mike Glennon could be his leading man; Glennon has been decent (2,231 passing yards, 20 TDs, 10 INTs) but Wilson has been surgical leading the Badgers – though Wisconsin has had some slip-ups of late. Still, fundamentally, Wilson was ruthlessly efficient for the Wolfpack, and they haven’t been the same without him.
The Wolfpack had a nice shutout win over in-state North Carolina two weeks ago, but two of the past three weeks have seen tough losses at the hands of conference foes Florida State and Boston College. NC State doesn’t have the super-talented running back it has had in the past; State ranks a pitiable 111th in the country in rushing yards. A season-ending foot injury to starter Mustafa Greene has doubtlessly contributed to that. The Wolfpack are also without DE Jeff Rieskamp, LB D.J. Green, and starting offensive lineman R.J. Mattes and Andrew Wallace.
Clemson has been virtually impossible to stop on offense. Yet, a major aspect of that surge may be compromised this week, as freshman WR Sammy Watkins is questionable with a hurt shoulder. Watkins leads the ACC this season with 1,034 receiving yards and 10 majors.
It has been a fantastic coming-out party for first-year starting QB Tajh Boyd. The multi-talented Boyd has 3,017 passing yards and 27 TDs to just seven picks. Another important component to the Tigers’ attack is RB Andre Ellington, who has 843 rush yards and nine TDs, despite battling the injury bug himself. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Clemson needs to tighten up its rush defense after only just surviving a scare against Wake Forest last week, 31-28. It took a last-second field goal from Chandler Catanzaro for the Tigers to pull out their ninth win of the campaign. Wake Forest back-up running back Brandon Pendergrass went off for 134 yards and two TDs; though NC State isn’t the same running team without Greene, Clemson needs to be wary about junior James Washington to make sure he doesn’t have a Pendergrass-like performance.
Clemson has squeaked by in some close calls thanks to its explosive offense, but if Clemson is to be an elite national power, it must get more of a consistent defensive presence from its athletic players on that side of the ball.
Regardless, Clemson should have too much firepower for NC State to handle. Boyd has shown no signs of slowing down, and even if Watkins does not play this week, sophomore WR DeAndre Hopkins is a threat and the Tigers still have the two-headed monster of Ellington and Mike Bellamy at tailback. If the Tigers’ defense is able to duress Glennon into a turnover or two, the visitors could break the game wide open.
The Wolfpack has some decent players and will have the advantage of playing in Raleigh, but look for Clemson to pull out another win en route to a major “Battle of the Palmetto State” final game versus rival South Carolina.
Score Prediction: Clemson 27, NC State 21
Over/Under Prediction: 48
The CappersPicks.com college football weekly predictions pages! We KNOW you will find our FREE weekly college football picks, tips, betting advice, strategies, CFB gambling articles and more to help you become the best College football bettor on your block!!
