The Clemson Tigers have started their crusade toward regaining the national championship in college football with a 2-0 record (1-0 ACC). They opened on September 12 with a 37-13 win at Wake Forest and then dealt The Citadel a 49-0 thrashing a week later. They come out of their bye week to host the Virginia Cavaliers (1-0, 1-0 ACC). The Cavaliers had their opener against Virginia Tech postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, and then they opened on September 26 at home against Duke, prevailing 38-20.
Can Virginia pull off what would be an immense road upset, or will Clemson take care of business at home? Can Clemson cover a four-touchdown spread?
Check out our college football betting thoughts on this matchup.
NCAA Football:
Virginia at Clemson | October 3 Matchup
Game Details
Saturday, October 3, 2020, 8:00 pm ET
Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Virginia Sports Network / Clemson Tigers Network
NFL Odds for the Game
Clemson -28½
Virginia +28½
Total 55 | Bet on the Game Now
Why should you bet on Virginia?
Virginia has struggled on the road lately, dropping three of four away from Charlottesville. Quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 269 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against Duke, completing 53.3 percent of his attempts. His top two targets are Lavel Davis Jr and Billy Kemp IV, who have 171 receiving yards together, along with a pair of touchdowns. On the ground, Virginia ran for 188 yards in the opener, led by Wayne Taulapapa, who picked up 95 yards and scored twice. Zane Zandier has 15 tackles to pace the Virginia defense, and Brenton Nelson swiped two interceptions in the opener.
Virginia has only covered the spread once in their last five away games — but they have covered 12 times in their last 16 games against teams with a winning record. The “over” has paid off in seven straight games for the Cavaliers, suggesting that their defense may not be able to slow down Clemson. Virginia looked much improved against Duke, though, so they should give Clemson a better game than they have in years past.
Why should you put your money on the Tigers?
Clemson looks to start 3-0 for the third consecutive season. The last time Clemson lost at home was in November 2016, when Pitt delivered an unthinkable upset. In two games, Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 519 yards and four touchdowns, with no interceptions. His 81.1 percent completion rate shows that the mostly virtual off-season has not damaged his connection with his receivers. His top targets are Frank Ladson Jr and Amari Rodgers, who have three touchdown catches and 244 receiving yards between them. Travis Etienne leads the Clemson running backs with 170 yards and a score. On defense, Myles Murphy has nine tackles to lead the team.
Clemson has covered the spread in six of their last seven games in October and eight of their last 11 as a favorite. Lawrence looks like a Heisman Trophy candidate so far, although Wake Forest and The Citadel aren’t elite football programs. However, the “under” has paid in five of Clemson’s last seven games. If the Tigers get caught in more of a grinding game against the Cavaliers, it could be difficult for them to cover.
The Final Word
Virginia’s win over Duke was impressive because of their sharp play on both sides of the ball. Going from winning by 18 to losing by more than four touchdowns would be a major reversal of fortunes, though. The Cavaliers are playing with a more competitive attitude than in years past and have the talent to back that attitude up. I see Clemson winning this game, but I’m not sure they can cover this spread. I predict a final score of Clemson 41, Virginia 20.
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