Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers Predictions, Odds, Picks

• When Clemson has the ball — Tigers struggling to find way to put points on the board
• When Pittsburgh has the ball — a surprisingly potent attack gets biggest challenge yet
• X-factors to watch

Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers Odds

Odds presented by: DraftKings Sportsbook

Clemson finds itself in an extremely unusual position: as an underdog. How strange is that for a conference game? The last time that happened was 2016 against Louisville when some guy named Lamar Jackson — who went on to win the Heisman trophy — was the quarterback.

It’s hard to get beyond the names of Clemson being an underdog and Pittsburgh being the favorite, but there’s a reason. The Panthers are explosive and nobody has shown they can slow them down yet — try to not get scared by the names.

Pittsburgh to cover the spread -3 (-115)

Pittsburgh Panthers Money Line (-165)

Garcia’s 2021 record: (14-9)

Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers Betting Trends to Watch

• Tigers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog
• Tigers are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games as a road underdog
• Tigers are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 road games
• Tigers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games overall
• Tigers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 conference games
• Under is 5-1 in Tigers last 6 games overall
• Under is 5-1 in Tigers last 6 conference games
• Panthers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite
• Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 conference games
• Panthers are 7-2 ATS in last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record
• Over is 6-0 in Panthers last 6 home games
• Over is 11-2 in Panthers last 13 games on grass
• Over is 5-1 in Panthers last 6 games in October
• Over is 8-2 in Panthers last 10 conference games

Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers Predictions

Clemson Offense Trying to Find the Answer

Rumors swirl around Dabo Swinney possibly bolting for the soon-to-be-vacant LSU job, but he has assured the Tiger faithful that Clemson is the only ‘Death Valley’ he wants to be a part of.

But after the way the offense has performed this year, it would be hard to blame anyone for being scared of Swinney leaving.

Clemson has played five games against Power 5 conferences, here are the total points they put up in those games in order: 3, 14, 21, 19, 17. What makes this even worse is the offense needed two overtimes to score 21 points in that loss to NC State.Yes, it’s been quite the fall from grace for the unranked Tigers, who are 4-2 overall, 3-1 in the ACC Atlantic, one game behind both Wake Forest and the aforementioned Wolfpack.

Of course, there was going to be a falloff after losing Trevor Lawrence, but nobody expected DJ Uiagalelei to struggle to this extent.

His stats in 2020: 78-of-117 (66.7 percent) for 914 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), five touchdowns, and no interceptions.

His stats in 2021 thus far: 97-of-174 (55.7 percent), 974 yards (5.6 yards per attempt), four touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Point is, every single one of his numbers has been worse this year and it’s hard to find a game where he’s been genuinely good this season. Meanwhile, the Pitt defense looks better by the week and comes into play ranked 34th in the country allowing just 20 points per game.

There were questions surrounding Pat Narduzzi’s program when it lost 44-41 to Western Michigan in Week 3, but three straight wins including two in the conference (the last a 28-7 drubbing over Va. Tech on the road) has the program ascending.

Panthers Offense Looks to Keep Flying

Prior to last week, Pittsburgh had scored 41 points or more in each of its first five games.

The Panthers were held to just 28 last week, but that was more than enough in a three-touchdown win.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett quietly has some of the very best numbers in the country. The senior from Oakhurst, New Jersey is having a career year — he’s currently 143-of-205 (69.8 percent) passing, ranks 11th in the country in yards (1,934), fourth in touchdowns (21), and third in interceptions (1), and QBR (88.4).

Pitt’s attack is largely oriented through the air, with Pickett and star receiver Jordan Addison forming a clear connection. The sophomore has 34 catches for 586 yards and nine touchdowns.

But they haven’t seen a defense like this Tigers front. Clemson has barely moved the ball this year, yet is still 4-2. That’s because the defense is the second-best in the country statistically, holding opponents to 12.5 points per game.

X-factors to Watch

For Pittsburgh, the key is going to be moving the ball on the ground. An air attack is great, but you need to control the clock against Clemson. That makes sophomore Israel Abanikanda the man to watch.

He’s come on of late — tallying 200 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries over the past two weeks.

For Clemson, the key is the rushing attack as well. Not only did the Tigers have to replace Lawrence, they had to replace the best running back in program history in Travis Etienne, too.

So far, they haven’t found a viable replacement, it doesn’t appear. So we will watch Kobe Pace — the leader in the clubhouse for that role. The sophomore has rushed 52 times for 294 yards and three touchdowns, and he’s gotten better as the season’s gone one.

In the past two weeks he has had 201 of those yards and two scores.

How to Watch Clemson Tigers vs Pittsburgh Panthers