The ACC Championship Game between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson will take place at 4 pm ET Saturday from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. While this game will determine a conference champion, it has plenty of College Football Playoff implications as well.
Both teams are fighting to stay in the top four of the CFP rankings, with the Irish currently second and the Tigers third.
These two teams will match up for the second time this season. On Nov. 7, Notre Dame topped Clemson 47-40 in a double-overtime thriller.
The biggest difference for this game will be the perennial No. 1 draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft under center for the Tigers. Trevor Lawrence was finishing fulfilling the COVID-19 protocols that Clemson had in place and was not able to suit up for the first meeting.
Will Lawrence be enough for Clemson?
Lawrence has remarkable stats so far this season, especially when it’s factored in that he has only played in eight games. Twenty touchdowns, only three interceptions, and a .692 completion percentage are some of the stats that immediately jump out.
His leadership and competitiveness are things that can not be seen when digging up statistics.
Other notable players who missed the previous game against Notre Dame were James Skalkski and Mike Jones Jr. Skalkski is the senior leader on the defense and had been sidelined with a groin injury.
With these two back on the field, Clemson is hoping it will be able to slow Notre Dame down.
Can the Notre Dame offense continue to be dominant?
The Fighting Irish have a top-tier quarterback as well. Senior Ian Book is looking to cap off his best season as the starter in South Bend.
Book is known as a gunslinger-style quarterback, having surpassed 2,000 yards in the air each of his last three seasons. This season, he has been able to cut down interceptions and add a rushing attack, getting to the end zone eight times running the football.
The Fighting Irish defense is nothing to scoff at either. Through 10 games this season, they are only giving up 17.1 points per game.
The constant pressure from defensive linemen Adetokunbo Ogundeji and Isaiah Foskey is something that Clemson’s offensive line will have to deal with all game.
This is Notre Dame’s first conference championship appearance in 132 years of having a football program. Prior to the 2020 season, Notre Dame had been an independent school.
Betting Odds & Lines
FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Clemson as the 10.5 point favorite, with the over/under set at 59.5.
Free Pick
Clemson will be at full strength this time around when playing Notre Dame. Offensively through 10 games, it is averaging 46 points per game.
They are tough to stop, and if Lawrence gets hot early, the Tigers have proven that they can throw the football against the Fighting Irish.
This will only be Notre Dame’s second time taking the field as an underdog this season. The only other time, they were able to not only cover the spread but win the game.
Notre Dame is also 3-1 against the spread when they are on the road. With this game at a neutral site, that would seem to play into their hands.
The pick is to take Notre Dame and the points (+10.5). As far as the over/under goes, while this is the second time these teams will have played, expect these proven quarterbacks to find ways to get into the end zone.
Take the over 59.5 points.
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