Appalachian State vs Clemson preview, prediction, betting odds, live stream info
Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Clemson Tigers
For the first time in a few years, the Clemson Tigers are the favorites to win the ACC and it’s due, in large part, to the potential of sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Tigers are coming off a week one blowout over Wofford and week two features the squad’s last ‘favorable’ matchup before the real fun begins.
Appalachian State, on the other hand, is one of the newest teams in the FBS and its claim to fame is clearly the upset victory over Michigan that began the demise of the Wolverines’ program. The Mountaineers are hoping to add another huge road upset to the list of accomplishments.
Details for Saturday’s game are below:
Date: Sept. 12
Start Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
TV Info: ESPN 3
Live Stream: WatchESPN app
Radio: For the Appalachian State radio affiliate, click here. For the Clemson radio affiliate, click here.
Ticket Information: For Appalachian State ticket info, click here. For Clemson ticket info, click here.
Keys to Victory
Clemson played a very complete game in the week one victory over Wofford, finishing with over 500 yards of total offense while holding the Terriers to just 213. Deshaun Watson will be relied on heavily for the remainder of the season to be the leader of the team and he will need yet another solid week in order for the Tigers to come out on top.
Losing Mike Williams for at least six weeks due to a neck fracture leaves some questions to be answered. For the Tigers to be successful, they will need guys like Artavis Scott and Ray-Ray McCloud to step up. For a school that seemingly churns out wide receiver talent, that shouldn’t be an issue.
As for Appalachian State, converting third downs will be key. Clemson held its week one opponent to just a 25 percent completion rate — a big reason the Terriers scored just 10 points. If the Mountaineers want to be more successful on offense, they’ll need to be at least 40 percent.
Clemson is very stingy in the defensive backfield, so counting on Taylor Lamb to sling the ball all around Memorial Stadium may not be wise. Appalachian State must go with the rushing attack for success as the Mountaineers finished last week’s game with 390 rushing yards and three scores while five guys averaged at least 7.0 yards per touch.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Clemson -19.0
Moneyline: App. State +725, Clemson -1000
O/U: 58.5
Prediction
This one might get ugly, only because Clemson is at home. No, I don’t think the Tigers would be in danger of losing on the road to the Mountaineers, or even at a neutral site, but the fact that Memorial Stadium is one of the toughest places to play will have a major effect on the outcome of this one.
Watson will have himself a day while Ray-Ray McCloud eases the pain caused by the loss of Mike Williams for an extended period of time. Somehow, someway, Clemson seems to be a wide receiver factory. He will record his first-career 100-yard game while Artavis Scott will be close behind.
Final Score: Appalachian State 16, Clemson 42
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