Auburn Tigers vs. Clemson Tigers Preview
Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
When: Saturday, September 9, 2017, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Auburn Tigers (+5.5) at Clemson Tigers (-5.5); total: 53.5 – view all NCAA Football odds and lines
TV Broadcast: Watch ESPN
College Football News and Previews
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Betting on the Auburn Tigers (+5.5)
Even with a few key players missing on offense, the 12th-ranked Auburn Tigers still made quick work of the Georgia Southen Eagles on Opening Week. 41-7.
Quarterback Jarrett Stidham had a sound debut, completing 14 of 24 passes for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He should improve upon those numbers in Week 2 with top wideout Kyle Davis set to return to the lineup after being held out of action in Week 1 due to undisclosed reasons.
The Tigers’ running game, meanwhile, looked even more potent than the passing game as backups Kerryon Johnson and Kam Martin combined for 30 carries, 272 rushing yards and two scores filling in for stud back Kamryn Pettway. Like Davis, Pettway’s bound to make his season debut against Clemson, giving the team even more punch from the backfield.
Allowing just a total of 78 offensive yards to Georgia Southern is impressive, but that was already expected of Auburn going up against a mediocre opponent. What the team has got to be concerned with, though, is that it committed three turnovers last week’s win.
Those miscues have got to be put in check, especially with a road game versus a top-10 program up ahead. The cats from ‘Bama may be in for a tough one in Memorial Stadium at that, considering that they’ve lost three-straight road games (1-2 ATS) dating back to the previous season.
Betting on the Clemson Tigers (-5.5)
Similar to Auburn, the No. 5 Clemson Tigers had little to no problem dispatching their inferior Week 1 opponent, blowing out the Kent State Golden Flashes by a score of 56-3.
For at least a week, junior quarterback Kelly Bryant proved to be the rightful successor to Deshaun Watson. Bryant finished with 236 passing yards and a touchdown and ran for another 77 yards – all in just half-a-day’s work as head coach Dabo Swinney opted to sit his starters for the second half of the contest with his team holding a virtually insurmountable lead.
Even with second-stringers running the show after halftime, the Tigers amassed 665 offensive yards, which was more than any of their games during last season’s title-winning campaign. Their defense was also intimidating to say the least that Kent State only completed one of five pass attempts for a measly yard.
The defending champs’ real season begins this Saturday with bona fide competition in Auburn as their next opponent. Still, with a 9-1 record in Death Valley over the last 10 (7-3 ATS), the hosting Tigers should keep their fantastic start going. It’s also worth noting that Clemson defeated Auburn just last year, 19-13, and that was with the latter holding home-field advantage.
Writer’s Prediction
Clemson (-5.5) stays undefeated with a convincing 35-23 win.
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