Clemson heads into its matchup with Virginia Tech with the kind of edge that doesn’t always show up in the betting line. FanDuel Sportsbook has the Tigers favored by just 2.5 points at home, but the bigger advantage may be hiding in how these teams handle the second half.
Virginia Tech has repeatedly let games slip after halftime. In its last three contests, the Hokies have outscored opponents 62-34 in the first half, then been outscored 50-25 after the break. That stretch includes a two-point home loss to Pitt, a five-point road loss at Cal, and a 10-point home win over Georgia Tech.
And the pattern doesn’t end there. In three of Virginia Tech’s four other victories this season, opponents pushed back in the second half.
Old Dominion edged the Hokies 15-10 after halftime in Week 2. Maryland outscored Virginia Tech 12-8 out of the break.
Even in a 21-14 win over Boston College, the Eagles were only down 3-0 after two quarters.
That creates a dangerous setup against a Clemson team that has been much firmer after halftime under Dabo Swinney. In Clemson’s four wins this year, the Tigers have allowed just six second-half points.
North Carolina scored a field goal in Week 3. Cal did the same in Week 4.
Georgia Southern was shut out in the second half of Week 2, and Charleston Southern was held scoreless in Week 7.
The LSU and Miami losses tell a different story, but Clemson has shown it can tighten the screws after the break. That matters against a Virginia Tech team that has a habit of hanging around early and then fading late.
It also matters that this is Virginia Tech’s first trip to Clemson as a head coach for James Franklin, and the Hokies have not played at Clemson since 2012. Meanwhile, Clemson has spent plenty of recent nights in unusual spots.
This is the Tigers’ fifth night kickoff in seven games. Their first three games all included two-hour lightning delays, and they also had to play at Cal in a 10:30 p.m.
ET kickoff for viewers back home.
Clemson may not have an offense that inspires much confidence, but the defense and special teams can chip away at whatever Virginia Tech builds in the first half. If the Tigers can run the ball well enough to control the clock, the Hokies will need a big early cushion to feel safe.
That’s the heart of this matchup: Clemson can live with discomfort, and Virginia Tech has not been nearly as steady once the second half starts.
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Clemson's Talent Just Put Even More Pressure On This ACC Showdown
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The praise extended beyond individual playmakers, with Franklin also mentioning freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds as part of a group that has added to the intrigue around the Tigers. For Clemson, it is another reminder that conference opponents are seeing the same thing everyone else is: a program with enough skill and depth to make every big ACC game feel even bigger, and a matchup this weekend that should draw plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]