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Spread for SMU-Clemson continues to shift in favor of Mustangs

On3 imageby: Billy Embody7 hours agoBillyEmbody
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(Photo: Matt Visinsky)

With Clemson starting quarterback Cade Klubnik reportedly out vs. SMU, the line on BetMGM is shifting quickly towards the Mustangs on Saturday. The Tigers are now favored by just 3.5 points and the total has dropped to 50.5 points.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is incredibly high on SMU starting quarterback Kevin Jennings. With Klubnik out, this is a big showcase opportunity for Jennings and the Mustangs to avenge the loss last year in the ACC Championship.

“Offensively, this is by far the most dynamic quarterback we have played. He’s a problem. He’s a really good player. He makes a lot of off-schedule plays,” Swinney said this week. “He’ll let it rip from every arm angle you can imagine. He’s just a really good player. He has a great feel for the rush lanes and when to step up and out and when to run around. He has made a ton of big plays. You have to cover these guys until the whistle has blown. They haven’t run him a ton, but I’m sure it’ll be a big part of their plan against us. Really good receivers. Explosive.

“Same thing at running back and they’re committed to running the ball. They’re a big play action team. They want to throw the ball off the run action. If they’re not having success inside, they force you to be strong on the perimeter. A lot of misdirection and eye candy. They have two elite tight ends. I just think they’re a really good team across the board.”

Jennings also has experience with Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who was at Penn State last year when the Mustangs struggled in the College Football Playoff.

“Yeah, so they’ve got the Penn State defensive coordinator now, so it’s kind of similar to what we saw last year, just a mixed bag of stuff,” Jennings said Tuesday. “A lot of man coverage and things like that. So, even though it’s a lot of the same personnel we played last year, it’s a different defensive coordinator. We’re just getting prepared for that. Really, it’s just about being prepared all year for whatever we might see.”

SMU and Clemson kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on ACC Network. The Mustangs are 4-2 on the year while the Tigers are 3-3 on the season.

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