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The third-ranked Clemson Tigers (8-1) appear to be on a collision course with No. 2 Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game. But the Tigers must first take care of business at Virginia Tech (4-5) on Saturday night in a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Lane Stadium. The Hokies come into this game on a three-game losing streak that included an embarrassing 47-17 loss at Pittsburgh two weeks ago. Clemson got Trevor Lawrence back from a COVID-19 absence last week against Pitt and rolled to a 52-17 victory.

The latest Clemson vs. Virginia Tech odds from William Hill Sportsbook list the Tigers as 23-point favorites, up 1.5 points from the opening line. The over-under for total points expected is set at 67. Before making any Virginia Tech vs. Clemson picks, check out the college football predictions from Barrett Sallee, given his success picking games involving the Tigers.

When it comes to college football, there are few who deserve the "expert" tag quite like Barrett Sallee. The CBS Sports writer and analyst hosts shows on SiriusXM College, writes for CBSSports.com and appears regularly on CBS Sports HQ as well as countless radio shows across the nation as a guest. 

Sallee debuted with SportsLine in 2017 and has delivered in a BIG way, posting a winning record in his weekly best bets column since that point. He went 59-35-2 (63 percent, plus $2,037) on all his college football picks for SportsLine in 2019, and he also enters Week 14 of the 2020 college football season on a 66-35 streak on his best bets since the start of last year. 

Additionally, he knows when to back and when to fade Clemson as he enters this matchup on a sizzling 10-2 run on all his picks involving the Tigers. Anybody who has been following him is way up.

Now, he has set his sights on Clemson vs. Virginia Tech. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds from William Hill and trends for Virginia Tech vs. Clemson:

  • Clemson vs. Virginia Tech spread: Tigers -23
  • Clemson vs. Virginia Tech over-under: 67 points
  • Clemson vs. Virginia Tech money line: Tigers -1700, Hokies +900
  • CLEM: The Tigers have won five consecutive games against the Hokies.
  • VAT: The Hokies are tied for third nationally among Power 5 teams with 24 rushing touchdowns

Why Clemson can cover

The Tigers clearly enjoyed having Lawrence back in the lineup last week as he threw for 403 yards and two touchdowns. While DJ Uiagalelei did a respectable job filling in for him the two prior games, Clemson is simply on another level with Lawrence, a Heisman Trophy contender, on the field. 

The Tigers are 7-0 with him starting this year and have won those games by an average of 34.7 points per game. Against a Virginia Tech defense that ranks 14th in the ACC in yards given up per game (463.0), Lawrence and the Tigers have a great shot to pile up eye-popping numbers in this matchup again. Coach Dabo Swinney has also had plenty of success against the Hokies. He's 5-0 straight up against them and has covered in four of those wins. 

Why Virginia Tech can cover

Although the Hokies have dropped three straight, quarterback Hendon Hooker ranks second in the country in all-purpose yards. Hooker has passed for 1,332 yards with nine touchdowns, and has rushed for 627 yards with nine more touchdowns. And running back Khalil Herbert chipping in six rushing scores, 

Virginia Tech is tied for third nationally among Power 5 teams with 24 rushing TDs. The Hokies lead the ACC in rushing offense at 251 yards per game.

How to make Clemson vs. Virginia Tech picks

Sallee is leaning over on the total, and he's also found a critical x-factor he believes makes one side of the spread a must-back. Head to SportsLine to see the pick. 

So who wins Clemson vs. Virginia Tech? And which critical x-factor has Sallee jumping all over one side of the spread? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Virginia Tech vs. Clemson spread to jump on Saturday, all from the expert who's on a 10-2 run picking the Tigers, and find out.