Louisville vs. Clemson Prediction: Cade Klubnik Goes Off Against Cardinals Secondary

    This Louisville vs. Clemson preview pits a team that’s been rolling with every win by at least 16 points against a squad that's slogged through five straight one-score thrillers.

    The Clemson Tigers looked a bit lost after their Week 1 stumble, with the spotlight on Dabo Swinney’s hesitancy around the transfer portal.

    But after six consecutive double-digit wins, the Tigers are back on course, eyeing another ACC Championship. Will a hot-and-cold Louisville Cardinals team disrupt their rhythm? Here’s our take on the spread and total for this Louisville vs. Clemson prediction.

    CFN CFB Playoff Predictor
    College Football Network’s College Football Playoff Predictor is a tool that allows you to play out various weekly scenarios to see how the CFP picture changes with each scenario.

    Louisville vs. Clemson Betting Preview

    All Louisville vs. Clemson odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.

    • CFN FPM Spread
      Clemson -11
    • Spread
      Clemson -10
    • Moneyline
      Clemson -360, Louisville +275
    • Over/Under
      62 points
    • Game Time
      Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET
    • Location
      Memorial Stadium | Clemson, SC
    • Predicted Weather at Kick
      64 degrees, partly cloudy, 4 mph winds
    • How To Watch
      ESPN

    These teams have had far different journeys up to this point in the year.

    After Clemson endured a Georgia beatdown in Week 1, the Tigers easily dispatched six straight inferior opponents. Louisville, meanwhile, has taken care of some ACC bottom-feeders but is 0-3 against the upper echelon of its schedule, losing to Notre Dame, SMU, and Miami — ironically teams that Clemson avoided on its schedule this year.

    MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor

    The Tigers are currently 10.5-point home favorites. The total of 61 points is indicative of the strength of each offense, and the combination of a higher total and slightly wider spread suggests oddsmakers expect Clemson’s offense to have an excellent game. Vegas implies a final score close to 36-25 in favor of the Tigers.

    Louisville’s Winning Probability

    CFN’s FPM is in line with the sportsbooks. The Cardinals are moderate underdogs on the road, per the metric, with an implied spread of just under 11 points and a winning probability of 20.4%. The metric makes them heavy favorites next week before two closer games to end the year.

    • at Clemson: 20.4%
    • at Stanford: 77.4%
    • vs. Pittsburgh: 46.2%
    • at Kentucky: 57.4%

    Clemson’s Winning Probability

    Conversely, CFN’s FPM gives Clemson a 79.6% chance to win and has the Tigers as moderate to heavy favorites in all five remaining games. FPM thinks Clemson has about a 23% chance of winning out this year.

    • vs. Louisville: 79.6%
    • at Virginia Tech: 66.9%
    • at Pittsburgh: 53.4%
    • vs. The Citadel: 99.9%
    • vs. South Carolina: 82.6%

    Prediction for Louisville vs. Clemson

    Clemson hasn’t faced a single one-score game this season. In fact, only one contest even came within two scores—a comfortable 16-point win over Florida State that was never really in doubt.

    Louisville, meanwhile, seems to embrace the tension of close games. The Cardinals are 2-3 in their last five, each decided by just four to seven points.

    So, the question is: Can Louisville keep it close in Death Valley?

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    Tyler Shough has been steady for the Cardinals, and I think he and Louisville’s receivers have the skills to challenge Clemson’s secondary—if their offensive line holds up. That’s a big “if,” given Clemson’s formidable defensive front.

    In the end, this game hinges on whether Louisville’s line can create running lanes and give Shough the time he needs. If they can, the Cardinals have a shot at putting points on the board. Clemson’s offense has hit its stride but can still stall when starting deep in its own territory.

    Even so, the Tigers are simply too deep and talented to let this one slip away at home. Louisville might keep things interesting for much of the game, but I expect Clemson’s pass rush to eventually disrupt Jeff Brohm’s offense.

    The Cardinals will have their moments, but consistency may slip away as Clemson pulls ahead late and shuts them down in the second half.

    Prediction: Clemson 34, Louisville 20

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