The Clemson Tigers have a weird schedule this year. As part of a handful of teams whose main rival plays in another conference, the Tigers traditionally finish their conference schedule earlier in the season than many of their ACC counterparts. But this season, the Tigers also play their FCS game late in the year.
Accordingly, Clemson’s path to the College Football Playoff has nothing to do with the Tigers for the next two weeks, as they’ll need in-conference help to make the ACC Championship. But first, they’ll need to dispatch The Citadel Bulldogs. Find out if the Tigers can cover in our Citadel vs. Clemson prediction.
The Citadel vs. Clemson Betting Preview
All The Citadel vs. Clemson odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are correct as of Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. The CFN spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Clemson -36.5 - Spread
Clemson -49.5 - Moneyline
N/A - Over/Under
58.5 points - Game Time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
Clemson Memorial Stadium | Clemson, SC - Predicted Weather at Kick
61 degrees, sunny, 5 mph winds - How To Watch
The CW
There’s a long, storied history between the Tigers and the Bulldogs, as Clemson used to be a cadet college like The Citadel remains to this day. The teams used to play frequently in the early 1900s, but Clemson has won all 18 meetings since 1932.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Clemson is obviously a heavy favorite, but the line has ticked down a point from its opening at 50.5 points. The total sits just above that at 58.5, implying a final score close to 54-5 in favor of the Tigers.
The Citadel’s Winning Probability
Since The Citadel plays in the FCS, CFN’s FPM only has a win probability for Clemson in this game. The Citadel is 5-6 and has lost a couple of extremely tight contests this season. In all likelihood, the Bulldogs will finish their season at 5-7, as they’re eliminated from the FCS playoff picture.
- at Clemson: 0.1%
Clemson’s Winning Probability
Obviously, CFN’s FPM has the Tigers as overwhelming favorites, with a 99.9% win probability. The big game is next week against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Tigers will be smaller favorites against the Gamecocks. If they win out, the Tigers will reach 10 wins for the first time since 2022.
- vs. The Citadel: 99.9%
- vs. South Carolina: 58.9%
Prediction for The Citadel vs. Clemson
It would be one of the biggest upsets in the history of college football if The Citadel were to upset Clemson. That being said, 49.5 is a huge number to cover, and the Tigers play South Carolina in a crucial rivalry game next week.
Cade Klubnik has been excellent this season, and he’s popped up on a few “top quarterbacks” lists this season. Similarly, Phil Mafah is having a career year as the primary ball carrier.
The Citadel has been just a step slow this season compared to some of its peers. The Bulldogs haven’t gotten blown out but have struggled against some of the better teams on their schedule, falling by multiple scores to Mercer and Western Carolina.
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Obviously, Clemson is going to win Saturday. I don’t think that’s a controversial statement. But I’m not sure the Bulldogs can cover either.
The Bulldogs’ passing attack has really struggled this season, with the quarterbacks completing just over 50% of their attempts for just six yards on average. That’s added up to just 4.9 yards per play against FCS competition.
While the defense has been solid, it has still given up a bunch of yards.
Clemson should be able to turn long plays into touchdowns and the Tigers have an explosive element that has hurt the Bulldogs. Given that the Tigers want to give as many seniors as possible a chance to get in this game (knowing that it’s unlikely they completely blow out South Carolina), the offense could try to get off to a hot start.
Ultimately, the Bulldogs should have several shorter drives since they struggle in obvious passing situations. That increases Clemson’s scoring potential in this game. The Tigers could push 60 here, which doesn’t bode well for the under or Bulldogs backers.
Take Clemson against the spread and perhaps sprinkle the over, as Clemson could do a lot of that damage on its own.
Prediction: Clemson 56, The Citadel 3
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