Clemson Georgia Tech Betting: Clemson Puts Its Unblemished Season On The Line
The Clemson Tigers have been the biggest surprise of the 2011 college football season. They'll try to stay in the national championship chase when they take on upset-minded Georgia Tech.
Clemson Tigers @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - Saturday, October 29
Sports betting line: Clemson -4
Why Clemson Will Win
The college football betting experts who study the Atlantic Coast Conference know that Clemson hasn't won a league championship since 1991, which is the year when Florida State joined the conference of America's Atlantic Seaboard. It's been a rough two-decade period for the Tigers, who have made only one ACC Championship Game (in 2009) and failed to win it. Clemson's seasons sometimes start in promising fashion, but over the past 20 years, they have lost steam in October. This year's team, however, seems to be different. Clemson won the big-ticket games that existed in the early part of its schedule, and it has then managed to avoid the landmines in the middle part of its slate. Clemson took down Auburn, Florida State, and - on the road - Virginia Tech to rise to national prominence. Then, when a big bulls-eye was placed on the Tigers' backside, coach Dabo Swinney's team still managed to stay the course, a change from the typical modus operandi on fall Saturdays over the past 20 years.
Clemson fell behind the Maryland Terrapins, 35-17, in the third quarter, and was staring at the prospect of a devastating defeat. However, the Tigers - behind all-world playmaker Sammy Watkins, who returned kicks and produced long pass plays in tandem with CU quarterback Tajh Boyd - rallied for a 56-45 win, the kind of slay-the-demons performance that changes a vibe and a mindset in a locker room. This team is full of belief, and with Georgia Tech reeling after consecutive losses to Virginia and Miami over the past two weeks, the Yellow Jackets aren't likely to match Clemson's level of willpower.
In past seasons, it has not been smart at all to trust in Clemson's consistency or steadiness, because those two qualities haven't existed in the world of the Tigers. Now, however, this is a team that a pigskin pundit should believe in. The Tigers are for real. Offensive coordinator Chad Morris, the huge hire made by Swinney in the offseason, has unlocked all the talent of an athletically dynamic offense. This team is not likely to flinch in the spotlight this Saturday night against Georgia Tech.
Why Georgia Tech Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your sports bet on this game, don’t use linear logic.
The Yellow Jackets are tired. They haven't yet had a bye week. Their passing game, which is what enabled their triple-option offense to flourish in the 6-0 start to the season, is plainly flagging. Georgia Tech didn't complete a pass of more than 17 yards in a 24-7 loss to Miami last weekend. Quarterback Tevin Washington is struggling, and the aura of confidence that filled this team's perfect September has clearly faded away.
So why pick Georgia Tech to win? This is one of those games in which desperation carries a team to new heights. Georgia Tech's season truly hangs in the balance in this contest. The Yellow Jackets must win in order to stay one game behind Virginia Tech for the ACC Coastal Division lead. If Georgia Tech loses, it will fall two games behind the Hokies, meaning that a win over Virginia Tech on Nov. 10 will not be enough to claim the Coastal crown. All of Tech's mental energy, all of the wrinkles in the playbook, and all of this team's urgency in all three phases of football will be on display against Clemson. The Jackets will throw the kitchen sink at the Tigers and play with far more emotion than they've shown in recent weeks. This game is also a home game for Georgia Tech, which will feed this team's adrenaline level and push it to the finish line.
Who Will Win
It’s very possible that Tech will rise up, but Clemson has answers for every question thrown its way. This Clemson team is different. It will not stumble this weekend, keeping its unbeaten season alive.
College Football Betting Pick: Clemson
