The Duke Blue Devils won't sneak up on anyone this season, and the ninth-ranked ACC champion Clemson Tigers won't take anything for granted Monday night. The teams square off on Labor Day at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., and the Blue Devils have 19 starters returning from a 9-4 season. Duke closed the season in style, defeating UCF 30-13 in the Military Bowl. The Tigers are expected to be national contenders again after finishing 11-3, but their last game was a disappointing 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl. Duke had won five games combined in 2020-21, but now they have their eyes on a chance at the ACC title. The Tigers have won it seven of the past eight seasons. The last meeting between the teams was in 2018, a 35-6 Clemson victory. The Tigers have won 17 of the 20 matchups since 1989, including the past five.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Tigers are 12-point favorites in the latest Clemson vs. Duke odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under for total points scored is set at 54.5. Before making any Duke vs. Clemson picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Clemson vs. Duke and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model's CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for Duke vs. Clemson:
- Duke vs. Clemson spread: Clemson -12
- Duke vs. Clemson over/under: 54.5 points
- Duke vs. Clemson money line: Tigers -456, Blue Devils +345
- CLEM: The Tigers are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 ACC games
- DUKE: The Blue Devils went 6-2 ATS in 2022 conference games
- Duke vs. Clemson picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Clemson can cover
Clemson relishes the spotlight and will be out to impress the national audience. The Tigers are 12-4 against the spread in their past 16 road games as double-digit favorites. They have outscored the Blue Devils by an average of 44-13 in winning the past five meetings. Duke's last victory against a team ranked in the top 10 came against Clemson in 1989. They are 0-28 in such games since then. The Tigers might count on their defense more in 2023, though quarterback Cade Klubnik showed a lot of potential in relief last season and is surrounded by talent.
Klubnik started one game but averaged 340 total yards in the ACC title game and Orange Bowl. Running back Will Shipley scored 13 rushing touchdowns and averaged 125 total yards per game, and Antonio Williams (604 yards) should be the primary target. Star linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. should disrupt Riley Leonard's running and put pressure on him. They combined for 12 sacks last season, and three-time All-ACC tackle Tyler Davis had 5.5. Clemson allowed 21.5 points per game (20th in FBS) and 4.8 yards per play (17th) in 2022. See which team to pick here.
Why Duke can cover
Duke has stars on both sides of the ball, and it's essentially the same team that went 9-4 against the spread last season. The Blue Devils went 5-1 ATS and straight-up at home in 2022, with quarterback Riley Leonard leading a dangerous offense and tackle DeWayne Carter spearheading a vastly improved defense. The Blue Devils went from allowing 39.8 points and 516 yards per game in 2021 to 22.1 points and 378 yards last season. The offense averaged 31.5 points (34th in FBS) and 416 yards (40th) per contest, averaging 5.9 yards per play (36th).
Leonard's dual-threat ability can cause problems for defenses, and he led a rushing attack that averaged 5 yards per carry and 181 yards per game. Leonard had a team-high 699 rushing yards, and Jordan Waters and Jaylen Coleman combined for 1,046. Receivers Jalon Calhoun and Jordan Moore had 1,529 yards between them as Leonard threw for 2,967. The quarterback accounted for 33 touchdowns. Carter is a force up front, posting eight sacks and 52 hurries in 2022, and could force Klubnik into mistakes. Duke had 26 sacks and 26 takeaways last season. See which team to pick here.
How to make Clemson vs. Duke picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting that the teams combine for 52 points. The model also shows one side of the spread is hitting well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Duke vs. Clemson, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of almost $2,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
