College Football Betting: Virginia Tech Pegged As Underdogs Vs. Clemson
The undefeated Virginia Tech Hokies will face their toughest test of the season Saturday when they open their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule against the defending national champion Clemson Tigers as 7.5-point home underdogs on the college football odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Hokies have emerged as one of the surprise stories of this season after opening with four straight-up victories. The squad’s fast start has had an immediate impact on its national championship odds, which have vaulted from +7500 in the preseason to a respectable +3300 going into Saturday night’s matchup at Lane Stadium.
Virginia tech’s strong start builds on last year’s 10-win campaign, including a 6-2 SU record against conference opponents which earned it top spot in the ACC Coastal Division standings and a return to the AP Top 25 rankings.
The No. 12 Hokies also have been solid performers at the sportsbooks, going 7-1 against the spread in their past eight overall, and are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 as home underdogs.
No. 2 Clemson rides a nine-game SU win streak into Blacksburg on Saturday night. The Tigers are coming off a lopsided 34-7 win over Boston College last weekend as 32-point chalk, and have held opponents to a meagre 9.25 points per game during their 4-0 SU start.
However, the Tigers’ high-scoring ways have produced mixed results in totals betting, with the UNDER going 3-3 over their past six games.
Clemson also has been a force on the road, going 13-1 SU over its past 14. But the Tigers are just 5-9 ATS during that stretch, 4-5 ATS when favored by eight or more points, and are 1-2 SU and ATS in their past three visits to Virginia Tech.
On Friday night, another pair of undefeated ACC rivals clash as Duke hosts the Miami Hurricanes as 7-point underdogs. The Blue Devils have made a turnaround since finishing last season with a 4-8 SU record, opening on a 4-0 SU and ATS run, including outright wins over Northwestern and North Carolina as betting underdogs.
The No. 14 Hurricanes are unbeaten SU in seven games, 6-1 ATS, and are 11-1 SU in 12 dates with the Blue Devils, but just 2-3 ATS in their past five visits to Duke as betting chalk.
In other ACC college football betting action this week, unbeaten Wake Forest hosts the fading Florida State Seminoles as a 7.5-point underdog, and the Tar Heels visit Georgia Tech as 9.5-point underdogs. North Carolina State takes on Syracuse as 13.5-point home chalk, while the Eagles host Central Michigan as 9-point favorites.
Thumbnail photo via Joshua S. Kelly/USA TODAY Sports Images
