The Clemson Tigers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games against the Florida State Seminoles. After a blowout loss to Florida State last year, the Tigers were going to try to bounce back as a 20.5-point road underdog visiting the Seminoles this Saturday night, but that number shrank Wednesday when Jameis Winston was suspended for the first half of this game.
Clemson at Florida State betting trends and Pick
Florida State lays nearly three touchdowns at the feel of Clemson in college football betting action this week (8 p.m. ET Saturday, ABC).
Streeter Lecka
Picking against the Florida State Seminoles is a scary proposition, but Clemson’s history against this team and FSU’s slow start to the season suggest that there could be some value in Clemson at +16.5 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com this week.
Odds Shark Computer Prediction: 50-29 Florida State
Breaking in new starters at quarterback, running back and multiple wide receiver spots, Clemson was faced with the daunting task of playing against Georgia on the road in its season opener. Clemson lost that game, 45-21, before bouncing back with a 73-7 win and cover over South Carolina State. The inexperienced Tigers offense will get more trial by fire this week on the road against the nation’s best team.
Florida State is the team to beat in college football until another team proves otherwise, amassing an 18-0 SU and 12-6 ATS record over 18 games since December 2012. But while the Seminoles were nearly flawless through their undefeated 14-0 SU and 11-3 ATS run in 2013, Florida State is off to a rocky 0-2 ATS start so far this season. The Seminoles narrowly escaped with a 37-31 win at Oklahoma State, and didn’t look much sharper in a 37-12 win over lowly Citadel.
This has been a historically high-scoring series, according to the OddsShark College Football Database. The OVER is 10-4-1 over the last 15 meetings between these two ACC rivals and 3-0 in the last three games between these two teams.
Bettors will be quick to remember Florida State’s 51-14 road win over Clemson last year, but that was actually the first time that a game in this rivalry has been decided by more than 14 points since 2005. The loss should also serve as added motivation for the Tigers, who will want to exact some revenge and avoid getting embarrassed again.
Florida State isn’t likely to lose this year’s matchup outright at home, but Clemson should have enough fight to keep the score within three touchdowns.
