[ad_1]
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets hope to prove they are up to the task on Monday night when they face the fourth-ranked Clemson Tigers in the 2022 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets nearly pulled off a shocker in their third game last season, when they battled to the end in Clemson before losing 14-8. That was their seventh straight loss to their ACC cross-division rivals, and they finished the season 3-9. The Tigers went 10-3, but it was a highly disappointing season as they missed the College Football Playoff for the first time in seven years. They won two national titles and were the national runner-up twice in that span. Clemson’s defense should remain among the best in the nation, and coach Dabo Swinney hopes new coordinator Brandon Streeter can get a lot more out of an offense that was the second-worst in the ACC.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Tigers are 24-point favorites in the latest Clemson vs. Georgia Tech odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the over/under for total points scored is 51. Before making any Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks or Week 1 college football predictions, you need to see what SportsLine’s Josh Nagel has to say.
Nagel is a Nevada-based handicapper with more than 20 years of experience in the sports wagering industry. Since the start of the 2018 college football season, he is 207-175-6 on all college football picks, returning a profit of $1,397. In addition, he has a particularly keen eye for the Tigers, going 6-0 on his picks involving Clemson, returning $400 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his advice is way up.
Now, Nagel has set his sights on Clemson vs. Georgia Tech and just locked in his picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Nagel’s picks. Here are several college football odds and betting lines for Georgia Tech vs. Clemson:
- Clemson vs. Georgia Tech spread: Tigers -24
- Clemson vs. Georgia Tech over/under: 51 points
- Clemson vs. Georgia Tech money line: Tigers -3500, Yellow Jackets +1350
- CLEM: Clemson is 28-16-1 ATS in conference games since 2017
- GT: Georgia Tech is 19-21-1 ATS in its ACC matchups since 2017
- Clemson vs. Georgia Tech picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Clemson Tigers
Why Clemson can cover
The favorite is 5-1-1 against the spread in the past seven meetings between the teams, and last season’s outcome might’ve been an aberration. The Tigers had won the previous six meetings during the win streak by at least 14 points, including a 73-7 demolition in 2020. Clemson is 19-9 ATS in neutral-site games since Dabo Swinney took over as coach during the 2008 season. A defense that was one of the best in the nation last season should be just as solid this time around. It allowed 14.9 points per contest, second-best in the nation, and 313 yards per game (seventh).
That defense allowed only a field goal to Georgia in the 2021 opener. The lone TD in the 10-3 Bulldogs victory was on a second-quarter interception return. Ends Myles Murphy (seven sacks) and Xavier Thomas (3.5) and tackles Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis make up a formidable front. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who had a relatively disappointing season after earning Heisman hype coming in, should be improved, and running backs Will Shipley and Kobe Pace combined for 1,380 rushing yards and 17 TDs. The Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six, and Tech is 1-7 in its past eight.
Why Georgia Tech can cover
Georgia Tech has a standout quarterback in sophomore Jeff Sims, and he is a dual threat who could pose some problems for Clemson if he gets protection. He has 4,213 total yards and 35 TDs in just 17 games (247.8 ypg). Tech went 2-4 and averaged 29 points when he started and was 1-5 and scored just 17 when he didn’t. He didn’t start last year’s meeting, when Tech had three field goals and a safety but held Clemson to two touchdowns. They held Clemson to 126 passing yards and should take confidence from the performance in a tough road environment.
Georgia Tech is 5-1-1 ATS in its past seven at a neutral site, and it should run the ball this season if a more experienced line plays well. Running backs Hassan Hall and Dylan McDuffie both came over as transfers, and McDuffie rushed for 1,049 yards and 11 TDs for Buffalo in 2021. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry, while Hall averaged 4.8 in four seasons at Louisville. Linebackers Ayinde Eley (88 tackles) and Charlie Thomas (70 tackles, three sacks) should have the defense fired up, and the young players around them should benefit from another offseason.
How to make Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks
Nagel has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under on the point total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.
Who wins Clemson vs. Georgia Tech? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks, all from the expert who is crushing college football, and find out.
[ad_2]
Source link