Miami vs. Clemson Pick
No. 16 Miami looked to be back on track last weekend but now the Hurricanes have to cover a 3.5-point spread at Clemson on Saturday.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook Sportsbook.com have made Miami 3.5-point favorites on the road against Clemson while the over/under has been set at 51. Here is a breakdown of what team to pick to cover the odds.
Miami has been very solid defensively this season, especially against the run. The Hurricanes were outmatched against Ohio State but still kept the Buckeyes rushing attack to 180 yards, which is 60 yards under the Buckeyes season average. Last week Miami was able to dominate Pittsburgh by holding the Panthers to 232 yards of offense and 128 yards rushing. Because Clemson is so heavy on the run, it is hard for us to pick the Tigers.
Clemson has had its way with two lightweights and did play tough against Auburn, but we feel that Miami will be able to limit the Tigers on the ground. With no rushing attack to rely on, Clemson will have to utilize Kyle Parker, who is completing under 60 percent of his passes with just 167 yards passing per game. Again, those numbers make Clemson a hard pick to support.
In the end, I like a pick of Miami to cover the spread because the Hurricanes have the offensive weapons to score on a weak Clemson defense while the Miami defense can attack Clemson’s strength and force the Tigers to have to win with Parker. If you are looking for a pick in the over/under, I like the under as Miami does tend to turn the ball over and miss out on scoring chances while Clemson won’t have the same fire power it has had in previous games.
OUR COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 5 PICK: MIAMI -3.5