Clemson travels to Pittsburgh for a pivotal matchup in the race towards the ACC Championship Game. The Tigers are 6-1 in conference play and currently in second place but need a win against the Panthers and some help to secure a spot in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte. Ranked No. 20 in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings, Clemson will likely need to win the ACC to secure its seventh CFP berth and first since 2020. The Tigers are a +350 bet to make the CFP, according to FanDuel.
Pitt was a primary player in the ACC title race not long ago, but after a 7-0 start the Panthers have stumbled with back-to-back losses against SMU and Virginia. This will be the Panthers' home finale before finishing with back-to-back road games against Louisville and Boston College. Mathematically, Pitt has not technically been eliminated from the conference title race, though it would need some major help to land a spot in the ACC title game.
Clemson vs. Pitt: Need to know
Modern ACC coaching rivalry: This is a rubber match between two of the last three ACC champions and two of the longest-tenured coaches in the conference. Dabo Swinney and Pat Narduzzi have a 2-2 record against each other, making the Panthers one of the few ACC programs that Swinney does not have a winning record against. Pitt won the first ACC meeting between the two in upset fashion, downing the eventual national champions 43-42 in Death Valley in 2016. Clemson got revenge with a win in 2018 in the ACC Championship Game en route to winning another national title, then blitzed the Panthers with a 52-17 win in 2020. Then Pitt struck back in 2021 with a 27-17 regular season win that helped propel Narduzzi and the Panthers to their first ACC championship. All four of the meetings have involved an eventual ACC champion, and that kind of pedigree has made Clemson-Pitt one of the intriguing modern rivalries in the conference.
Clemson bounces back after disappointing home loss: The Tigers gave up their inside track to the ACC title game when they lost at home to Louisville but offered a strong response with a 24-14 win at Virginia Tech last week. Clemson's defense did not allow the Hokies offense to score a touchdown until there was 1:43 left in the game and held Virginia Tech to just 2 of 14 on third down. The Tigers also contributed three takeaways to the winning effort, matching the team's season-high. Three touchdown passes from Cade Klubnik powered the Tigers offense.
Pitt's opportunistic defense has become a strength: The Panthers' reworked offense got off to a hot start, but as it has cooled in recent weeks, the defense has answered the call with game-changing plays. With players like linebacker Kyle Louis leading the way, Pitt ranks second nationally and leads the ACC with four defensive touchdowns, all of which are interceptions returned for a score. The Panthers defense has also been great at creating havoc, ranking fifth nationally in sacks per game (3.33) and tackles for loss per game (8.1).
How to watch Clemson vs. Pitt live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Clemson vs. Pitt prediction, picks
While Cade Klubnik usually ends up with a couple of touchdown passes, the offense hasn't been lighting up opponents in recent weeks. I think Pitt's defense is good enough to keep that group in check, but I'm not sure the Panthers are going to be able to score much against one of the most talented defenses they'll face in the regular season. Clemson's defense will travel, and Dabo is more than happy to get out of a second straight road game with a similar score to the 24-14 final we saw last week against Virginia Tech. It's a good week for the betting under. Pick: Under 54.5
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