Clemson (9-0) at Boston College (7-2)
When: Saturday, November 10th 2018
Where: Alumni Stadium,
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Time: 8:00 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Clemson -15.5/60.5
A win on Saturday night in Chestnut Hill, Ma. would give the Clemson Tigers a fourth-straight ACC Atlantic Division title, but a loss would open the door for the upstart Boston College Eagles. The teams will battle several hours after ESPN’s College GameDay visits Alumni Stadium, and the home crowd should give the Eagles a bit of a lift – but will it be enough. This Clemson team is clicking on all cylinders right now, winning their last four contests by an average of 51 points after beating up Louisville 77-16 last week. Boston College has been one of the surprise teams in the country this season and can win the division by capturing its final three games, although that’s easier said than done as they travel to Florida State next week before finishing the regular season at home against an improved Syracuse squad. The Eagles have won three straight including Miami (27-14) and Virginia Tech (31-21) in the last two weeks to stay in the division title race. Clemson can clinch its eighth consecutive 10-win season with a victory, while the Eagles are 2-23 all-time against top-five opponents and has lost 10 in a row dating back to 2002.
The Tigers have been dominant on both sides of the ball and seem to be the greatest challenge to Alabama. They rank in the top 10 in both total offense (seventh, 538 yards per game) and total defense (third, 269.2). Clemson continues to blow out opponents and have set several school records in margin of victory this season behind running back Travis Etienne and freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Etienne is one yards shy of 1,000 to go along with his 15 touchdowns, while Lawrence has an 18/3 TD/INT ration on the year. The defense has surrendered more than 300 total yards only three times, with one of those being in last week’s blowout win over Louisville.
The Eagles are giving their fans their best season in years behind a solid running game that ranks 23rd in the country behind AJ Dillon. Boston College’s 37.2 points per game would break a school record set by the 1984-led Doug Flutie team. Dillon has rushed for 897 yards and eight scores despite missing a couple of games last month due to an ankle injury. The defense is ranked 49th overall in the nation, but has allowed at least 500 yards of total offense twice in ACC play.
The trendy pick here would be to take B.C. and all of those points, but I just don’t see how they can score enough to keep up with the Tigers offense here. I can definitely see a close game at halftime, but the Tigers will turn it on in the second half and easily roll to a victory. The last time these teams played in Chestnut Hill (2016), Clemson won 56-10 as 17-point favorites.
Pick: Clemson -20
Betting Trends:
- Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
- Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
- Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in November.
- Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- Tigers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Tigers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
- Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Tigers are 35-17 ATS in their last 52 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Tigers are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Tigers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games on fieldturf.
- Eagles are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games in November.
- Eagles are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games on fieldturf.
- Eagles are 9-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Eagles are 14-2-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS win.
- Eagles are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 conference games.
- Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
- Eagles are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up win.
- Eagles are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
- Eagles are 35-14-2 ATS in their last 51 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Tigers last 4 road games.
- Over is 6-1-1 in Tigers last 8 games in November.
- Over is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Under is 12-3 in Tigers last 15 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Tigers last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2 in Tigers last 8 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 5-2 in Tigers last 7 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Tigers last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 9-4 in Tigers last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 21-10 in Tigers last 31 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 6-0 in Eagles last 6 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in Eagles last 6 home games.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Eagles last 7 games on fieldturf.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Eagles last 6 games in November.
- Under is 42-20-3 in Eagles last 65 conference games.
- Under is 35-17-2 in Eagles last 54 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Road team is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings.
- Underdog is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
- Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
