Clemson Opens as 6-Point Road Favorites at Notre Dame With Trevor Lawrence Out Another Week

• Clemson has opened as a 6-point road favorite at Notre Dame in Week 10.
• QB Trevor Lawrence, who tested positive for COVID-19, won’t be available to play.
• Read below for an early look at the matchup and whether the line will move leading up to the game.

No.1 Clemson has opened as 6-point favorites over No. 4 Notre Dame in one of the biggest games of the year in South Bend on Nov. 7 (7:30 PM EST). The Tigers will be without star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who tested positive for COVID last week.

Both teams are undefeated this season and searching for a signature win to bolster their CFP hopes. The Fighting Irish are out for revenge after losing 30-3 to the Tigers in the 2018 semi-final.

No. 1 Clemson vs No. 4 Notre Dame Week 10 Opening Odds

Odds taken November 1st  at William Hill

DJ Uiagalelei Is Real Deal 

Clemson five-star true freshman QB DJ Uiagalelei lived up to the hype and then some in his first start against Boston College in Week 9. The youngster went 30-of-41 for 342 yards and two touchdowns as Clemson rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit to defeat the Eagles 34-28 and avoid a shocking upset.

Uiagalelei looked more than capable of running this offense, and running back Travis Etienne kicked it into another gear with a career-high 264 all-purpose yards against the Eagles. The concern for Clemson is defense, as starters James Skalski, Mike Jones and Tyler Davis all missed the game against BC due to injury. DE Xavier Thomas will also miss the first half against the Fighting Irish after getting called for targeting on Saturday.

Uiagalelei will be making his first ever road start, which is where the Tigers will miss Lawrence’s experience. The Clemson pivot would have plenty of confidence heading into this game after dismantling this defense as a freshman a few years back. As poised as Uiagalelei has looked, you just don’t know how he’ll handle the road environment and national stage.

Irish Have Been Rolling

The Fighting Irish remained undefeated and extended their winning streak to 12 games with a commanding 31-13 victory over Georgia Tech in Week 9. Standout running back Kyren Williams once again played a key role in the offense, racking up 76 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.

One big winning streak will come to an end in Week 10, as Clemson is looking to pick up a 37th consecutive regular-season victory. The Fighting Irish have been dominant on the ground this season, and will look to take advantage of a banged up Tigers defense.

Notre Dame has dominated inferior opponents this season, but this will be their first big test. Coach Brian Kelley is 3-8 against top-10 teams with the Irish, while QB Ian Book is also in need of a signature win after coming up short in big games versus Clemson and Georgia in the past.

Will The Line Move? 

When it was announced that Lawrence had COVID, Clemson saw their point spread against Boston College drop from -32.5 to -24. The public backed the Eagles in that game and easily cashed. With Lawrence officially out against the Irish, there isn’t much underdog value found in this opening line.

No. 1 Clemson survives an upset bid from Boston College! pic.twitter.com/K7kkQ5Vfav

— ESPN (@espn) October 31, 2020

The spread could move slightly in favor of Clemson depending on injuries updates. Skalski will be out for the game after undergoing groin procedure last week, but DT Davis (ankle) and linebacker Jones (hamstring) could return. Clemson’s defense is a primary reason this spread isn’t larger.

Notre Dame’s defense is only allowing 273 yards per game, but they haven’t faced an offense like Clemson’s yet. Even without Lawrence, the Tigers still have plenty of weapons that could shift this line in their direction leading up to kickoff.