ACC Championship Odds: Clemson Heavy Favorites Over Pittsburgh

The Clemson Tigers will be gunning for a fourth straight conference title when they battle the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday in this year’s ACC Championship Game as heavy 26.5-point favorites on the college football odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

Clemson is coming off a decisive 56-35 victory in last weekend’s Palmetto Bowl clash with South Carolina to improve its overall straight-up record to 12-0 going into Saturday night’s Tigers vs. Panthers betting matchup at Bank of America Stadium.

With the win, the Tigers also solidified their position at No. 2 on the College Football Playoff rankings, setting the stage for them to return to the CFP and challenge for a second national championship in three years. Clemson remains a strong +350 second favorite on the national championship odds, trailing only the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide, but has struggled to consistently reward bettors this season.

The Tigers have failed to cover in their past two outings, including last weekend’s win over the Gamecocks as 26-point chalk, and have been a shaky bet when pegged as big favorites. Clemson has gone 2-8 against the spread in its past 10 games when favored by 21 or more points, including a dismal 1-5 ATS run this season, according to the OddsShark College Football Database.

However, the Tigers have proven reliable in past ACC Championship Game appearances, going 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS while claiming victory by 28 or more points on three occasions, including last year’s 38-3 win over Miami as 12.5-point chalk.

The Panthers saw a four-game SU win streak come to an end with last weekend’s 28-3 loss to the Hurricanes as 5-point road underdogs to fall to 6-2 SU in conference play, but entered that contest already assured of top spot in the ACC Coastal Division and a berth in Saturday’s ACC Championship Game.

Pittsburgh’s late-season surge marks an impressive turnaround after the squad compiled a middling 8-11 SU record in their previous 19 overall outings. The Panthers got things done on both sides of the ball during their recent win streak, averaging over 40 points per game while surrendering 22 or fewer points on three occasions, and have also been a reliable wager while covering in six of their past seven outings.

The Panthers also shocked Clemson in the only previous meeting between these two teams, claiming a 43-42 victory as 21.5-point underdogs to spoil the Tigers’ bid for a perfect season in 2016. Pittsburgh has also risen to the occasion when pegged as an underdog of 20 or more points, claiming outright wins in two of three and going 9-3 ATS in its past 12.