Clemson Football: Early point spread for Tigers vs. Irish

If you listen to the talking heads, podcasts and other various voices around college football you’d think Clemson football isn’t good.

D.J. Uiagalelei is bad, the offense isn’t imaginative with or without him and the wide receivers ain’t what they used to be.

And that’s just the offense.

Yet, here we are 8 weeks into the season and the Tigers are one of six undefeated Power 5 teams left in the nation and not only that, but they have arguably had a tougher road than most.

After a well-earned week off the Tigers travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on a disappointing Notre Dame team in yet another prime-time matchup, this one on NBC.

Apparently not many outside of Clemson and their fans think much of the Tigers except the people who make the point spreads, as they have installed the Tigers as an 8.5-point favorite on the road at night. (Be sure to change the selector to “Week 10”)

Yes, I understand how and why point spreads are made.

There are still plenty of questions around this Clemson team and they may end up a notch below a couple of others, but at what point do you start believing?  At what point, do you stop giving their opponents more credit for “losing close” than you do the Tigers for winning?

On one hand, it’s a testament to what Dabo Swinney has built in “Little Ole’ Clemson”, on the other it’s a slap in the face of what he’s built at Clemson.

For the talking heads it matters how Clemson football “looks”, but in the long run it’s “just win, baby”

I was asked this week where I thought Clemson would fall in the first CFP Rankings that come out Tuesday, with the premise being that a case for Alabama jumping Clemson would be made.

In the long run, I’m not sure it matters, because there can be no more than 4 undefeated teams after the regular season as Ohio State and Michigan square off and so do Georgia and Tennesee.  It’s likely one or more of the other undefeated lose, too, whether in the regular season or in a conference championship game.

If Clemson goes 13-0 they’re not going to be left out of the playoff.

In the end, the old saying is truer than ever in college football: Just win, baby.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change