Take a look at the Week 1 preview as Clemson football starts its march to the College Football Playoff with a home game against Furman.
With the Tigers facing the Paladins in Week 1, this type of game is normally a snooze fest for the casual fan. However diehard fans of the Tigers will look at this game to see who is getting playing time, and how much of an impact they can have on the team during the ACC stretch run.
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Clemson is looking to get back into the college football playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and are a heavy favorite to hoist the national championship trophy on Jan. 7, 2019.
Led by senior quarterback Kelly Bryant on offense, and one of the best defensive lines in the country, Clemson will be hard to take down this season, let alone an FCS program. The offense should start the year clicking on all cylinders, and the defense won’t have any trouble wreaking havoc all game long.
Furman realistically doesn’t have any shot to win. Yes, their fans can look back at Appalachian State’s amazing victory over Michigan, but does anyone think that will happen in this game?
Get ready to see the Tigers put a beat down on the Paladins.
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Clemson vs Furman game:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 1
Time: 12:20 p.m. ET
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Venue: Clemson Memorial Stadium
TV: ACC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to Victory
In order for Clemson to win they simply have to keep their players healthy. Bryant was injured last season against Syracuse as the Tigers were upset on the road, but I think as long as they can come out of this game with no major injuries it will be an impressive Week one win.
The Paladins will need to force turnovers to pull off the upset, and by that, I mean at least 3 defensive touchdowns and a return for a score. Other than I see no way they can stay in the game from a sheer athleticism standpoint. Don’t expect much of a fight in this one.
Betting Odds
Courtesy of Oddshark
Point Spread: N/A
Over/Under: N/A
Prediction
Clemson will come up running the ball all over the Paladins defense. Look for Tavien Feaster to get at least three touchdowns in this game and he may be resting on the bench by the time the fourth quarter rolls around.
The defense will play very good and I feel a little concerned that even allowing Furman to get a field goal is disrespectful to the Tigers defense. If the Paladins score a touchdown in any way I will be surprised.
Final Score: Clemson 63, Furman 3