Despite all the craziness of 2020, something remains constant in this College football betting season, and that is the Clemson Tigers being heavily favored in almost every game they play.
Dabo Swinney, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and crew begin their quest for a sixth-straight ACC Championship when they open their season as massive 32.5-point road favorites as they visit the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
We break down the NCAA football odds with our best college football picks and predictions Clemson vs Wake Forest on Saturday, September 12 with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Clemson Tigers vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons betting preview
Weather
It will be cloudy with a slight chance of light rain prior to kickoff. It will be a warm evening with temperatures feeling like the high-70s thanks to the humidity and there should be a slight wind, blowing about 7 mph to the East. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Injuries
Clemson: Mario Goodrich CB (Probable), Nolan Turner (Questionable), Luke Price TE (Out), Xaiver Thomas DE (Out), Justyn Ross WR (Out).
Wake Forest: No injuries to report.
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Being away from Death Valley shouldn’t bother Tigers backers. Clemson is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games as a road favorite. Find the latest NCAA football betting trends for Clemson vs. Wake Forest.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Now, usually, you see a big spread this early in the season and your gut reaction is to take all those points the underdog. But, as you should know by now, these Tigers ain’t no ordinary cats. Last season alone, Clemson was a 24-point or greater favorite 12 times. 12! And what makes them all the more impressive is that they went 10-2 ATS in those games. When we bump that spread up to -30, the Tigers went 5-1 ATS.
We all know what Clemson brings to the table at this point. Lawrence is the best quarterback in the country, Etienne is likely going to surpass 6,000 yards from scrimmage, and the entire defensive line is back under Brent Venables.
On the other side, Wake Forest is coming off a fun 8-5 season where they averaged 32.8 points per game and ranked in the Top 20 in total and passing yards. But now, they must deal with a massive offseason overhaul.
Quarterback Jamie Newman transferred to Georgia (before opting out), but Sam Hartman has shown flashes he can lead the Wake Forest offense. The problem is, he may not have a lot of help. Hartman will have to take on the Tigers without the Deacons’ top three pass catchers from a season ago (including future NFLer Sage Surratt), their starting running back, and most of their offensive line.
Wake Forest has a decent defensive line led by potential Top-10 pick Carlos Basham Jr., but they likely won’t have the horses to contain the Tigers’ insane depth for long. Admittedly, I got too cute with the Tigers last season in spots like this. But if there is a guy that will have a group like this prepared for this situation, it’s Dabo. So, fade them at your own risk.
PREDICTION: Clemson -32.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
We know all about the Clemson offense. Fourth in the country in points per game at 42.9 per contest against FBS foes. Fifth in total yards at 516.5 per game. And the list goes on and on and on. But, despite that overpowering offense, Clemson went just 6-7 Over/Under in the regular season last year. And that’s because while the offense may overshadow them, the Tigers defense has also been outstanding.
The Tigers defense held opponents to 14 points or fewer in 11 of their 13 regular-season games last year, which includes a 52-3 beatdown of the Demon Deacons in November. That game went Under by four points, but that was not the norm when the Tigers were favored by 30 points or more. In fact, the Over was 5-1 when Clemson was laying 30 points or more last season.
Hartman should be just good enough to hit for a scoring strike or two in this one, maybe in garbage time, to send this one Over the number.
PREDICTION: Over 60 (-110)
First Half Team Total Pick
Clemson was an absolute monster in the first half of games last season, outscoring their opponents by an average score of 25.4-6.6. They also scored 28 or more first-half points eight times in their 13 games before the College Football Playoff. That includes getting out to a 31-3 lead at half when they faced off against Wake Forest last season.
While the Demon Deacons return a solid front seven, Etienne has proven capable against even elite defensive fronts over the course of his career. And while the front seven is a strength for Wake Forest, the secondary is certainly a weakness. Lawrence should be able to pick them apart and take the Tigers to go Over their first-half team total.
PREDICTION: Clemson Over 26.5 First Half Team Total (-137)
Clemson vs Wake Forest betting card
- Clemson -32.5 (-110)
- Over 60 (-110)
- Clemson Over 26.5 First Half Team Total (-137)
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Use our NCAA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on college football?
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