Odds and Ends: Clemson Opens as Early Favorite Over Vols in Orange Bowl

Despite Tennessee being ranked higher in the College Football Playoff rankings, No. 7 Clemson is already a 5.5-point favorite over the Vols in their first meeting since 2004.

Clemson is one spot behind Tennessee in the College Football Playoff's final rankings, but it's the No. 7 Tigers who are favored early in their postseason showdown. 

Clemson is a 5.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, over the No. 6 Vols in the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl, which is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The game total is set at 64.5 points. 

The Tigers (11-2 overall) claimed the ACC championship on Saturday with a 39-10 win over North Carolina while Tennessee (10-2) finished second in the SEC East and was off this week. 

Clemson improved to 7-6 against the spread this season. The Vols have covered the number nine times in their 12 games in 2022. 

The Tigers might've found their quarterback of the present and future with freshman Cade Klubnik coming off of his breakout performance against UNC. 

Tennessee will play the bowl game without their top signal-caller as Heisman Trophy candidate Hendon Hooker was lost for the season when he suffered a knee injury against South Carolina on Nov. 22. Joe Milton starts in his place.

This will be the first meeting between these two teams since 2004 when they played in the Peach Bowl, a 27-14 Clemson win. The Vols lead the overall series 11-6-2, but they've only played three times since World War II.

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