Clemson Is Gonna Stomp Wake Forest Saturday

Get like Dabo Swinney and run to DraftKings Sportsbook to BET the CLEMSON TIGERS -7 (-120) vs. the Wake Forest Saturday.

It's an ACC matchup with the No. 5 Clemson Tigers (3-0) visiting the No. 21 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-0) at Truist Field and a noon E.T. kickoff.

We're backing Clemson to cover the spread because it has a massive talent edge and is profitable as big favorites vs. ACC foes.

The Tigers' Defense Is Too Nasty

Wake Forest is too one-dimensional for Clemson's stacked defense. The Demon Deacons are 111th in yards per rush (2.8) and the Tigers' defense allows seventh-fewest in yards per rush (1.9).

If offenses are behind schedule, Clemson's defense will dominate. You cannot consistently convert 3rd-and-longs vs. the Tigers and expect to win.

Clemson is 17-10-1 ATS with a +3.9 ATS margin when allowing fewer than 90 rushing yards since 2017. Wake Forest averages 87.0 rushing yards per game.

Last season, Clemson held Wake Forest to 36 rushing yards on 31 carries in a 48-27 beatdown. It was a down year for the Tigers and Demon Deacons ranked 13th in the AP Poll when they met.

Clemson's Offense Is Trending Up 

Clemson Tigers QB D.J. Uiagalelei drops back to pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Uiagalelei is a 5-star recruit with a ton of talent around him who I'm still holding stock in. Uiagalelei’s throwing ability has improved from last season and Clemson has seven four-star wide receivers.

Also, the Tigers have the same two running backs (Kobe Pace and Will Shipley) that gained 303 of their team's 333 rushing yards vs. Wake Forest in 2021.

Clemson RB Will Shipley running vs. Wake Forest. (Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Tigers are 17th in returning offensive production (according to ESPN's Bill Connelly) and average 41.3 points per game. The Demon Deacons are 77th in returning defensive production and don't recruit well enough to sustain that much roster turnover.

Clemson's offense scored more than 21 points just once in its first seven games in 2021. The Tigers can certainly have success vs. a Wake Forest short on talent and overmatched.

Trends & The Betting Market Favor Clemson

The Tigers are 23-9 ATS (31-1 overall) since 2018 as 7.5-point favorites or more in conference play. Clemson has a +4.6 ATS differential with a 42.4-13.1 average final margin in those contests.

Also, sportsbooks figured the market would have more confidence in Wake Forest whose 2021 Second-team All-ACC QB, Sam Hartman, returned as a redshirt junior.

However, early sharp action pushed Clemson’s spread from -6.5 to above the key number of 7 to the current price. We are getting to the party late on Clemson.

But, again, the Tigers have a 72% ATS winning rate in these spots.

BET the CLEMSON TIGERS -7 (-120) at DraftKings Sportsbook.

DraftKings Sportsbook odds as of Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 2:00 a.m. ET.