Clemson Football: Spread against Duke Blue Devils shrinks slightly

Clemson Football is one week away from opening the 2023 season in Durham against the Duke Blue Devils.

While the Tigers have been as much as a 13.5-point favorite over the Devils, the spread has come down slightly.

Clemson is now listed anywhere from a 12-point to a 13-point favorite depending on where you look.

This would indicate early action has leaned on the Blue Devils covering the spread, and oddsmakers are lowering the spread to encourage more betting on the Tigers.

The over/under is 55.5 or 56 in most places. Assuming a 12.5-point spread, this would indicate most oddsmakers feel the final score will be somewhere around 34-22 in favor of Clemson, give or take a point on either side.

The spread and the over/under show the oddsmakers do respect the offenses from both teams. Clemson is breaking in a new offensive system under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. While there are questions at wide receiver and a new starting quarterback in Cade Klubnik, a five-touchdown performance would be solid against a Mike Elko-coached defense on the road.

The shrinking spread should increase betting on Clemson Football to cover

Three touchdowns for the Duke offense is respectable as well, considering many believe Clemson’s defense could be very good this season. I think this total is based on an expectation that Riley Leonard can probably move the ball through the air against a Tiger secondary that had trouble against good quarterbacks in 2022.

The game is scheduled for 8:00 PM on Labor Day Monday. The Tigers are ranked 9th in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The Blue Devils are not ranked but did receive four points in the voting. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

The Tigers will then host Charleston Southern and Florida Atlantic before welcoming the Florida State Seminoles to Death Valley for what could be the game of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change