What the Betting Odds Say About Clemson's Clash With No. 20 Louisville

The Clemson Tigers travel to Kentucky on Friday for a Week 12 clash with the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals, and the betting odds have been relatively steady throughout the week leading up to the game.

Clemson opened as a 3.5-point underdog when the first betting line of the week was updated on Nov. 10, according to VegasInsider, and it has continued to shift in small increments over the last few days. In the most recent line, FanDuel has Louisville at -2.5 heading into Friday night, with the over/under set at 50.5.

This matchup is extremely interesting given the different circumstances and situations of both squads, as Clemson sits at 4-5 on the season and seeks to reach .500 for the first time since its victory over Boston College over a month ago. The Tigers boast a 3-4 record in the ACC with losses to Georgia Tech, Syracuse, SMU, and Duke, three of which were in Death Valley, but their most recent outing last weekend spells hope that they can still clinch a bowl game.

Despite an underwhelming first half of the year, Clemson seemed to find its stride in its 24-10 win over Florida State at home six days ago. The Tigers’ offense performed how many fans thought they would coming into the year as a popular national title contender, and they looked balanced on all cylinders. Cade Klubnik and company recorded 319 total yards of offense, including 221 through the air and 98 on the ground.

On the other hand, Louisville is coming off just its second loss of the season and will hope to rebound from a tough 29-26 overtime defeat to Cal last week. The Cardinals are 7-2, only losing to NC State and Cal by six combined points, both of which resulted in a three-point deficit at the final buzzer.

Although the Tigers’ defense showed promise against the Seminoles, they will have their hands full with the Louisville offensive attack. In addition to dangerous USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss, the Cardinals’ backfield also features running back Isaac Brown, who leads the conference in average yards per attempt with 8.6. Brown also ranks third in the ACC in total rushing yards with 782, only trailing Virginia’s J’Mari Taylor (784) and NC State’s Hollywood Smothers (825).

Louisville also boasts an incredibly talented wide receiver in Chris Bell, who ranks third in the conference in total receiving yards (792) and tied for first in touchdowns with six. Thus, needless to say, Clemson will have their hands full on Friday night.

The Tigers need to win two of their last three games against Louisville, Furman, and South Carolina to make a bowl game, meaning a victory over the Cardinals would almost guarantee a bowl berth.

Clemson and Louisville kick off tonight at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.