No. 1 Clemson will be without its star quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, but it's still going to be held to a championship standard as it enters South Bend, Indiana, to face No. 4 Notre Dame in one of the biggest college football games of the 2020 season. The game, which is just the sixth meeting between top five teams in ACC history, carries both ACC Championship and College Football Playoff implications as both teams are undefeated and in the hunt for titles as we enter November.
Since Notre Dame is a full ACC member for 2020 only, it is eligible to compete for and win a conference championship for the first time in program history. And since the ACC has eliminated divisions for this one year the championship game, it will be held between the top two teams in the 15-school standings at the end of the year. So instead of this being an elimination game for the ACC title or CFP race, it could be a preview of the ACC title game.
Of course, it's expected that Clemson would have starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence back in the lineup in December for a potential rematch, but on Saturday night, he's still sidelined due to protocol following a positive COVID-19 test. Lawrence feels good and is on schedule to be cleared from isolation to return and be with his teammates on Saturday, but he will not be in the lineup for the Tigers. Instead it's freshman quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei getting his second start after throwing for nearly 350 yards and scoring three touchdowns helping the Tigers avoid an upset scare against Boston College last week.
It's a top-five showdown, a 2018 College Football Playoff semifinal rematch and a potential preview of the ACC Championship Game all in one. There's not much better in college football than getting all that in an iconic setting like Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
Storylines
Clemson: For all the attention that was rightly placed on the absence of Lawrence, last week also exposed some depth and injury concerns for Clemson that might not be entirely shored up by kickoff on Saturday night. Starting linebacker James Skalski has been dealing with a groin issue and will be out, leaving the Tigers without one of their key defensive leaders for the second straight game. Fellow starting linebacker Mike Jones Jr. is questionable after missing the Boston College game and starting defensive tackle Tyler Davis' status is unknown as he works his way back from getting banged up for the second time this season. Those absences on defense, particularly in the front seven, are going to put a lot of pressure on freshmen defensive linemen Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy, as well as linebackers Jake Venables and Baylon Spector going up against Notre Dame's stellar rushing attack. The Fighting Irish win by controlling games with their offensive line and the combination of Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree. Clemson has to force Ian Book into third-and-long situations and get off the field when they do, limiting the opportunities for Notre Dame to put together long, punishing drives that will wear down an already-thin Tigers defense.
Notre Dame: Brian Kelly has been awfully chippy this week when questioned about whether Saturday night is a chance for Notre Dame to prove that it belongs as one of college football's elite programs. "We're 29-3 over our last 32 games" and "we've won 12 in a row" were refrains used often by the Fighting Irish coach with shrugs that might as well have screamed "I don't know what else you want from us." Notre Dame has proven, really since 2017, that it's leveled up in a big way with its strength and conditioning program getting overhauled, and the team's identity coming from player development and cycling out one set of juniors and senior starters for another on an annual basis. But while acknowledging that Kelly is right to believe his program belongs in the conversation, the media is also right to suggest that Saturday night is a huge opportunity for Notre Dame. There's not going to be a way to close the talent gap with a Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State or Georgia, but Kelly and the Fighting Irish can prove that talent acquisition is not the only path to victory in modern college football.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 7 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium -- South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC* | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
*USA Network will begin simulcasting the game on Saturday at 7:55 p.m. as NBC will cut away for President-elect Joe Biden's speech. The broadcast will return to NBC once the speech is done.
Game prediction, picks
Earlier this season, we talked about Big Game Dabo and Clemson's trends to the under in regular-season matchups against fellow ranked teams. Unfortunately, I think the total has already been impacted by the absence of Lawrence. The score I'm working with right now is 31-24 Tigers, which would clear the posted total by a field goal. Notre Dame is operating with a ton of confidence right now -- not just as a team but a program as a whole -- and I think this is going to be a classic of a game, but winning these games is what Clemson does best. I'd be on the home dog if this spread was more than a touchdown, but I really think the Tigers win, so I'll lay the handful of points. Pick: Clemson -5.5
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Clemson vs. Notre Dame live stream, watch online, TV channel, coverage, kickoff time, odds, spread, pick, line - CBS Sports
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