Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Clemson Tigers
Saturday, 10/23/2010, 3:30 PM EST, TV: ABC
Opening Point Spread: Clemson -5.5
Current Betting Line: Clemson -5
Opening Total: 51.5
Current Total: 52
Current Moneyline: Clemson -215 / Georgia Tech +185
Georgia Tech is riding a three-game win streak and travels to Clemson, South Carolina in a re-match of the 2009 ACC Championship Game at Clemson Memorial Stadium. The last three meetings in the season have been nail-biters, decided by a combined 12 points. The Yellow Jackets were fortunate enough to win both contests last year, a 30-27 win in Atlanta and 39-34 victory in the title game in Tampa. Georgia Tech has won five straight ACC road games and hasn’t lost on the road against an ACC Atlantic Division team since 2007. Head coach Paul Johnson has tallied an impressive 10-4 mark on the road in three seasons at Tech. The team is 9-2 against the college football betting lines in its last 11 October games and the total is 4-7 O/U in those contests.
The Yellow Jackets’ spread option offense is led by senior quarterback Josh Nesbitt (92.7 ypg), who ranks second in the ACC in rushing and senior back Anthony Allen (85.7 ypg). Nesbitt needs just 282 rushing yards to become just the eighth player in NCAA history with 3,000 career rushing and passing yards. Georgia Tech ranks second nationally in rushing offense and finished in the top five in the category the last two seasons. In a game that is likely to remain close throughout, the team has a fantastic 11-2 record under Johnson in contests decided by five points or less. The program leads the all-time series, 49-24-2, while winning six of the last seven meetings.
Clemson returned to the victory column last Saturday with a 31-7 victory over Maryland, which happened to be the largest margin of victory and most points for the Tigers over a Ralph Friedgen-coached Maryland team. A key to the game was the Tigers ability to hold onto the football, as the team managed to not turn the ball over for the third time this year and currently ranks 17th in the nation in fewest turnovers with eight. This series has been among the most competitive in the conference over the last 12 years. Twelve of the last 15 games have been decided by five points or less. Clemson is 1-3 ATS at home this year and 6-1 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points in its last seven opportunities.
The Tigers have started the season 3-3 for the third straight year and ninth time since the 1995 campaign. Clemson hopes its success in the red zone can move its record above .500 this week, as the offense has scored 18 touchdowns in 21 opportunities. By comparison, last year’s team scored 28 touchdowns in 49 red zone possessions. Sophomore running back Andre Ellington has emerged as the offensive star this season in replacing NFL first-round pick C.J. Spiller, ranking fifth in the ACC in gaining 79.3 rushing yards per game. Ellington has 967 yards rushing in 150 carries in his short career, which is relatively close to Spiller’s 142 carries to reach the 1,000-yard mark.
Bettors will likely hammer the Yellow Jackets this week due to the underdog being 13-3 ATS in this series. Clemson definitely deserves some respect with a 4-0 ATS mark as a home favorite of 3.5 to 10 points.
Maddux Sports is releasing a 20 unit game of the year on the Saturday card. For the season we have released five 20 unit selections and nailed all 5 of them. This looks like another easy winner. Click here for our college football picks page to learn more about how to get this solid play.
