Regional rivals collide Saturday as two of faculty soccer’s high applications, the Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs, start their season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta at Midday ET on ABC/ESPN+.
Georgia, the 2021 and 2022 nationwide champions, didn’t attain the Faculty Soccer Playoff final season after dropping to Alabama within the SEC championship sport. That mentioned, the Bulldogs have gained 42 of 44 video games the previous three seasons and are coming off a 13-1 marketing campaign that culminated with a lopsided 63-3 victory over Florida State within the Orange Bowl.
For Clemson, which did not attain double-digit wins final season (9-4) for the primary time since 2010, that is its first sport as a double-digit underdog in 10 years (Florida State, 2014).
Georgia has gained the previous two conferences, with the final Clemson victory coming in 2013.
Odds present as of publish time, courtesy of ESPN BET
The strains
Unfold: Georgia (-13.5)
Moneyline: Clemson (+450), Georgia (-600)
Over/underneath: 48.5
First-half unfold: Clemson +7.5 (-130), Georgia -7.5 (+105)
Georgia whole factors: Over 30.5 (-130), underneath 30.5 (Even)
Clemson whole factors: Over 16.5 (-125), underneath 16.5 (-105)
Choose of the sport: Clemson at Georgia Underneath 48.5
I’m extra bullish on the Tigers than most. Clemson’s protection was elite final season, rating within the high 25 in lots of defensive metrics, together with first in takeaways.
Clemson returns eight of its 11 major starters on protection, together with key gamers like defensive finish T.J. Parker, who was second on the staff in sacks. The Tigers additionally added five-star linebacker Sammy Brown, who’s anticipated to bolster the linebacker corps and doubtlessly make a right away affect.
Clemson’s robust defensive position, linebacker corps and secondary, allowed it to take care of excessive efficiency ranges all through video games. That largely stays the identical. I belief Clemson’s potential benefit within the trenches and anticipate that to contribute to the underneath 48.5.
Betting developments
Courtesy ESPN Stats & Information
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If the road stays something +11.5 or extra, it will mark the most important underdog function for Clemson since 2012 at FSU (14.5-point canines, misplaced by 12).
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Clemson: Coated three straight video games as a double-digit level underdog, which incorporates being 2-0 ATS (0-2 SU) underneath Dabo Swinney. Their final outright win as a ten+ level underdog was in 2004 towards Miami as 16.5-point canines.
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Georgia: Eight straight unders in season openers, the longest lively streak in FBS.
