How and what to watch for No. 4 Clemson vs. Virginia Tech

After utterly humiliating the Pittsburgh Panthers a week ago, the No. 4 Clemson Tigers have the opportunity to embarrass another ACC foe on Saturday when they face the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Now with superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence back in the fold after a five-week absence, Clemson appears to have no obvious weakness. The offense performed more than capably with true freshman D.J. Uiagalelei behind center in recent weeks, but Lawrence possesses one of the best combinations of physical tools and football intelligence the sport has seen in years. With him at the helm, the Tigers have the firepower to blow any defense off the field.

Meanwhile, Clemson’s defense has quietly put together another strong season. The unit ranks in the top five in overall success rate and among the top 10 against both the run and pass. And outside of a double-overtime loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in early November, the Tigers haven’t allowed more than 28 points in any contest this season.

With so much working against it this week, Virginia Tech will have a difficult time keeping the game competitive. Three consecutive losses have warmed up the seat of head coach Justin Fuente. While a defeat to Clemson seems highly unlikely to materially affect his job security, Fuente could quiet his critics with an impressive showing this weekend.

Game Time/TV Channel/Streaming

You can watch No. 4 Clemson vs. Virginia Tech on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, or you can stream it via this link with a cable or streaming service login.

Point Spread, Totals, Odds, Trends

Point spread: Clemson (-22) vs. Virginia Tech
Point Total: 66.5
Money line: Clemson (-1430) vs. Virginia Tech (+800)

• Since 2015, Clemson has a 16-12-0 road record against the spread (all of those as the favorite).
• Interestingly, the Tigers also have a 16-12-0 over record on the road (again, each time as the favorite) since 2015.
• Since 2015, Virginia Tech has an 18-18-0 home record against the spread (4-5-0 as the home underdog).
• Also during that stretch, the Hokies have an over record of 17-18-1 at home (4-4-1 as the home underdog).

Betting splits

Clemson: (91% of handle, 93% percent of bets)
Virginia Tech: (9% of handle, 7% percent of bets)

The Best Bet

Clemson has Lawrence back and Virginia Tech has all the same problems it did a week ago. Few expect this game to stay competitive for long.

Pick: Clemson -22

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