Clemson’s season has gone off the rails a bit, but Dabo Swinney’s team is still one of the nation’s best, and it can prove it against No. 12 Notre Dame.
Will Notre Dame send Clemson below .500, or will the Tigers roar back for the final stretch of this season?
Read on for Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Clemson Tigers college football picks and predictions for Saturday, November 4, at 12 p.m. ET.
Notre Dame vs Clemson Odds
Track our latest CFB odds for Fighting Irish vs Tigers:
NCAAF lines used for Notre Dame vs Clemson were current as of October 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET on DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Notre Dame (-175) • Clemson (+145)
- Spread: Notre Dame -3.5 (-105) • Clemson +3.5 (-115)
- Total Points: Over 46 (-110) • Under 46 (-110)
Notre Dame is favored on the road, but the half-point hook on this line creates an interesting opportunity to bet on Clemson.
As for the total, 46 may not seem high in a vacuum, but with two of the country’s best defenses taking the field, it should raise some eyebrows
Notre Dame vs Clemson Prediction
SCORE PICK: Notre Dame 23, Clemson 17
Death Valley will always be an incredibly challenging place to play, especially against a Tiger defense of this caliber.
This matchup last season was a blowout in Notre Dame’s favor, but the two sides haven’t played in Clemson since 2015, so this will be an interesting test of the power of home-field advantage
Aside from a hiccup against Louisville, Notre Dame’s defense has been an absolute lockdown unit this season.
It stymied USC’s Caleb Williams in a way that few squads have been able to, clamped down Riley Leonard and Duke, and even in a loss, its mastery of the Ohio State offense was impressive.
Clemson is definitely a better team than its record would imply, but this offense definitely has issues.
Cade Klubnik has failed to live up to the hype, and he tossed two more interceptions in Clemson’s ugly loss to NC State last time out.
Even worse, the rushing attack ranks outside of the top 100 in the country by EPA per play, as Will Shipley has been productive but far from otherworldly.
These defenses will be key in this one, but Notre Dame is simply the more battle-tested and, in many ways, the better-coached squad.
The Irish will be able to find the few plays needed on offense to secure the win, while Clemson’s offense might go the whole game without ever stringing together a cohesive drive.
Notre Dame vs Clemson Best Bets
Notre Dame -3.5 (-105)
BetMGM Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
This is a rough number, but Notre Dame should pull away by the time the game is over.
Most of the Irish’s best work has been at home, but the game at Duke was a real show of their toughness and ability to close things out.
Their offense isn’t on the same level as the defense, but it still ranks 21st in EPA per play, compared to a mediocre 53rd for Clemson.
The driving force of that success is the backfield duo of Sam Hartman at quarterback and Audric Estime, one of the best running backs in the country.
The Irish have the playmakers needed to come out on top, while Clemson simply does not, especially if Shipley, who is currently in concussion protocol, is not able to play.
Under 46 (-110)
BetRivers Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
This one is a relative no-brainer, especially given the Shipley situation. Notre Dame’s defense ranks ninth in the country in EPA per play, headlined by the seventh-best pass defense.
The secondary is absolutely loaded, with two of the best cornerbacks in the country in Benjamin Morrison and Cam Hart. The Irish have picked off 13 passes this year, good for joint-third in the country.
That being said, the defense has easily been the brightest spot of Clemson’s dismal season. It ranks even better than Notre Dame’s unit by EPA per play, checking in at a remarkable third in the country.
Like Notre Dame, Clemson’s pass defense is a strong suit, the fourth-best by EPA, but their run defense is top 25 as well.
These two defenses should put on a clinic, and with Notre Dame attempting to impose a glacial pace, this one has a great chance at staying under this number, which gives you access to highly significant totals like 45 and 41.
Notre Dame vs Clemson Same-Game Parlay
Notre Dame vs Clemson SGP (+186)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 units
- Under 46 (-110)
- Notre Dame (-175)
With only a few options available to us almost a week ahead of kickoff, we’re going to build a same-game parlay based on similar bets to the ones we discussed above.
We’ll stick with the Under, an absolutely phenomenal value play in its own right, and instead of the spread, we’ll pair it with Notre Dame’s moneyline.
This approach allows us to win even if the math doesn’t work out in Notre Dame’s favor as it pulls out the win in a defensive slugfest.
The moneyline also goes well with the Under, and it’s hard to imagine Notre Dame failing to cover because of an offensive explosion from Clemson. It’s much more likely to be down to mutual offensive malpractice.
