The 2018 ACC title is up for grabs on the first day of December at Bank of America Stadium. The Clemson Tigers and the Pittsburgh Panthers are going to put on quite the show for viewers and bettors alike. The Panthers in particular are playing with a chip on their shoulders after finding out U.S. sportbsooks have them listed as 25-point underdogs in the game. Will Clemson win the conference title while also adding to their undefeated record? Or will the Panthers pull off a shocking upset win and windfall for those who bet accordingly?
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Betting Preview for the Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers College Football ACC Championship Game on Dec. 1 2018
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
When: Saturday, December 1, 2018, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Clemson Tigers (-25) vs Pittsburgh Panthers (+25) – view all 2018 NCAAF lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the Clemson Tigers (12-0 Overall / 8-0 Conference)
The Tigers are a win away from finishing the regular season with an unblemished record after taking down a gritty South Carolina Gamecocks at home last Saturday, 56-35. As what the score suggests, the Tigers’ usually airtight defense got dinged by the Gamecocks. South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley went off for 510 passing yards and five touchdowns with an interception on 32-of-50 completions. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, they weren’t able to stop Clemson’s offense either, as Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence put up 393 passing yards and a touchdown without an interception on 27-of-36 completions. Led by running back Tavis Etienne, the Tigers also made a killing in the backfield with 351 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 55 rushing attempts. Even when their defense isn’t clicking, the Tigers’ offense can make all the difference seemingly on any given game. The Tigers should have success on the ground once again next week, as the Panthers are only ninth in the ACC against the run with 174.33 rushing yards allowed per game.
Clemson is 5-2 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven games.
Betting on the Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5 Overall / 6-2 Conference)
The Panthers’ offense got crippled last Saturday, when they lost to the Miami Hurricanes on the road, 24-3. Despite the apparent choking on offense against the Hurricanes, the Panthers’ ability to put up points shouldn’t be entirely doubted. They are averaging 27.5 points per game this season and had scored 86 points in the two games prior to the meeting with the Canes. Throw in the fact that the Gamecocks managed to put a significant dent on Clemson’s defense over the weekend, then it becomes reasonable to expect Pittsburgh having some semblance of offensive success in the ACC title game opposite Clemson. Before they dream of such things against Clemson, the Panthers will have to fix their offensive line that got totally dominated by Miami. The Hurricanes had six sacks against Pittsburgh. That doesn’t good for Pittsburgh, especially that its next opponent is tied for second in the nation with 43.0 sacks. Conversely, the Panthers are ninth in the ACC with 28.0 sacks allowed so far this season.
The Panthers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
Clemson wins, but doesn’t cover, 37-17.
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