Clemson Tigers vs SMU Mustangs Matchup

Check out our free Clemson Tigers vs SMU Mustangs pick and preview for this CFB week 15 game in Charlotte. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 15 CFB matchup.

ABC will be covering the 8:00 ET kickoff as the SMU Mustangs and Clemson Tigers face off at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Even though SMU is technically the home team, this is being played on a neutral site. The over/under line is at 55.5 points for this week 15 matchup. SMU comes in with an 11-1 record, and they are the -2.5 point favorites over the Tigers. Clemson is 9-3 this season.

Tigers vs. Mustangs Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Clemson Tigers at SMU Mustangs
Where: Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium
Date: Saturday, December 7th
Betting Odds SMU -2.5, CLMSN +110 | SMU -134 O/U 55.5

Tigers Preview:

Clemson enters Week 15 with a 9-3 record and a 46.2% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast, according to projections. They are 100% bowl-eligible and rank 15th in our power rankings. The Tigers have gone 4-1 on the road this season and are preparing to face SMU.

The Tigers have been favored in 10 of their 12 games, posting an 8-2 record as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is +14.1 points per game, and they are 5-6 against the spread this season.

Clemson’s over/under record stands at 3-7-1, with their games averaging 57.2 points. This week’s line is set at 55.5 points, slightly above their average line of 53.5 points.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Clemson's offense ranks 14th in scoring, averaging 35.7 points per game, and we have them as the 7th best offense heading into week 15. Cade Klubnik has thrown for 3,041 yards and 29 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 105. Clemson ranks 16th in passing yards per game, averaging 275.1, and they are 19th in passing attempts.

Phil Mafah leads the rushing attack with 1,088 yards, averaging 5 yards per carry, and Clemson is 31st in the nation in rushing, with 191.5 yards per game. Antonio Williams has caught 65 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Tigers Team Defense

Clemson's defense is ranked 29th nationally, allowing 21.6 points per game. They’ve given up 206.9 passing yards per game, with quarterbacks completing just 53.4% of their throws, the 11th-lowest percentage in the country. Opponents have averaged a passer rating of 74 against Clemson’s secondary.

In their recent game, Clemson allowed 17 points in a 17-14 loss to South Carolina. The defense gave up 432 total yards, including 268 rushing yards on 41 attempts, while allowing 164 passing yards and forcing one interception.

Mustangs Preview:

The Tigers have been favored in 10 of their 12 games, posting an 8-2 record as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is +14.1 points per game, and they are 5-6 against the spread this season.

Clemson’s over/under record stands at 3-7-1, with their games averaging 57.2 points. This week’s line is set at 55.5 points, slightly above their average line of 53.5 points.

Mustangs Offense Breakdown

SMU’s offense is putting up 39.2 points per game, ranking 5th in the nation heading into week 15. They are 23rd in our offensive power rankings. Quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown for 2,746 yards, completing 66.7% of his passes, and has a passer rating of 108. SMU is 14th in passer rating nationally and 18th in third-down conversions, converting 46.1% of their attempts.

Jennings has thrown 19 touchdowns and 7 interceptions this season. On the ground, Brashard Smith has rushed for 1,154 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry, and has scored 14 touchdowns. SMU is averaging 183.3 rushing yards per game. Roderick Daniels Jr. leads the receivers with 502 yards and two touchdowns.

Mustangs Team Defense

SMU's defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 17th nationally by allowing just 19.8 points per game. They are 9th in the country against the run, giving up only 97.1 rushing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 74.4 against SMU, completing 55.4% of their passes.

In their latest game, a 38-6 win over California, SMU's defense allowed just 6 points and 254 total yards. They held California to 95 rushing yards on 37 attempts and 159 passing yards, while also forcing an interception.

Tigers vs Mustangs Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Clemson has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 7-3 while averaging 25 points per game.
In their last ten games at home, the SMU Mustangs have a straight up record of 9-1 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 33 points per game in these contests.
The last five games that Clemson was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 1-4 straight up.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the SMU Mustangs have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.