As Clemson prepares to take on Cal on the other side of the country, the bookmakers have spoken on how they really feel about the Tigers. While FanDuel Sportsbook has Clemson laying 1.5 points at Cal on Friday night, they will be getting a gargantuan 17.5 at home versus Miami next week. Add in the fact that a kickoff time has not been set for this Week 5 conference showdown, and it could get uglier.
Depending on the outcome of Friday night's late kick at Cal, Clemson could potentially be playing in its fourth primetime or later start in five weeks. A win over Cal or even a close loss might have Miami at Clemson under the bright lights of Death Valley. If that is the case, then maybe the whopping 17.5-point spread shifts slightly more in Clemson's favor? Then again, these are just a sign of the times.
Miami is the clear and early frontrunner to come out of the ACC this season. While the Tigers could improve their standing in the conference hierarchy over the next few weeks, that Miami date looms so large. We are talking about a program that is now a perennial national title contender under its head coach Mario Cristobal. It was not all that long ago Clemson was precisely that under Dabo Swinney.
Miami heavily favored over Clemson brings up an uncomfortable truth
It may not be this to a T, but Clemson's former athletic director Dan Radakovich leaving for his alma mater of Miami coincides with the Hurricanes' return to prominence. He may have retired over the summer, but the three-time ACC athletic director had a profound effect everywhere that he went. Clemson and Georgia Tech also shined under his leadership, but rapidly decayed after he went away.
To be quite honest, the landscape of college athletics has changed so much since Radakovich last worked at Clemson. Swinney was winning national titles in a different era of the sport. Only four teams would make the then-newfangled College Football Playoff annually. Now, the field has tripled, it may continue to grow, and Clemson is still struggling to find ways into this expanded tournament.
Clemson can look at this initial point spread in one of two ways. It can look at it as a sign of disrespect or as a motivational tactic. Miami may be one of eight or so teams that can realistically win a national championship. However, it is still quite odd to see the Hurricanes sitting in a seat the Tigers used to occupy annually. It just goes to show that the six-year run from 2015 to 2020 was a long time ago.
So, what can Clemson do about it? Take everything one day at a time. Before they play Miami, the Tigers must take on Cal on the other side of the country. A win over the Golden Bears will bring the Tigers to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in ACC play. If they were to be riding a three-game winning streak, that might be enough momentum to somehow rock the Hurricanes sometime next weekend.
Miami is not a perfect team, but it will take a nearly flawless effort for the Tigers to defeat the Canes.
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