Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies delivered the online sportsbooks goods in the head coach’s debut with the program. TAMU beat Northwestern State 59-7 as 46.5 chalk. However, the shoe is in the other foot now. The best online sportsbooks favor the Clemson Tigers by 12.5 points against the Aggies. The Tigers got the 48-7 straight-up win on Furman. They failed to cover the 49-point spread, though. QB Trevor Lawrence led Clemson on five consecutive scoring drives. He threw three touchdown passes. Running back Lyn-J Dixon had 89 yards on six carries. Wide receiver Derion Kendrick had a 38-yard reception. Tight end Braden Galloway had three catches and a touchdown. Defensive end K.J. Henry recovered a fumble. And that’s just what the freshmen did. Don’t even get us started on the returning starters.
Betting Clemson
The TAMU offense that gained 503 running yards on Furman may hit a roadblock or three. Ditto for tight end Jace Sternberger junior college transfer became the first Aggie in his position since 2010 to catch two touchdown passes in a single game. The Clemson’s defensive is as adroit at stopping the run and sacking the quarterback as they are at pass coverage. Defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant have been pegged as potential first-round picks in the 2019 NFL draft. As have been tackles Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins. The Tigers allowed only five rushing TDs in 2017. They also finished third in the nation in sacks.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is well acquainted with Fisher. The Tigers and the Florida State Seminoles went 4-4 with Swinney and Fisher as their respective head coaches. Additionally, Swinney has to decide whether to keep alternating Lawrence and Kelly Bryant. The experiment paid dividends against Furman. But it was Furman.
“Both had some mistakes and both missed a couple of easy throws, but I think [that’s from] the adrenaline and the emotion of the first game,” Swinney said. “They both settled in and made some big-time plays. That’s what they need to do, they just need to play well. But I didn’t see anything that would say, ‘hey, this guy doesn’t deserve the opportunity to play.’”
Clemson has covered six of its last eight games in September, as noted by online sportsbooks.
Betting Texas A&M
One might consider home advantage to be advantageous. But online sportsbooks might beg to differ. The Aggies have covered in only seven games in their last 27 at College Station. And that’s counting the Northwestern State blowout. Moreover, TAMU is only 1-5 ATS in their last six games against ACC schools. That lone point spread cover came by half-a-point. A 55-52 loss as 3.5-point underdogs to Wake Forest in the 2017 Belk Bowl. Half-a-point is not as good as half-a-bee, but still. Running back Trayveon Williams and wide receiver Jhamon Ausbon will have their work cut out for them against Clemson’s D-line.
Clemson Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies Betting Information
- Date: September 8
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Venue: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
Betting Lines from InterTops Sportsbook:
- Clemson -12½ (-110) 54 (-110) -500
- Texas A&M +12½ (-110) 54 (-110)
Betting Trends
- Clemson is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
- Clemson is 18-2 SU in its last 20 games
- Clemson is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
- Texas A&M is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
- Texas A&M is 8-14-1 ATS in its last 23 games
- Texas A&M is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Our FREE Prediction: Unless the Aggies start to play better at home, there’s no reason Clemson shouldn’t win and cover the spread.
