Notre Dame football opens as slight favorites in Death Valley
The Notre Dame football team is preparing for Pittsburgh first, but Vegas thinks the Fighting Irish are the favorite to beat Clemson as well.
Notre Dame football players and coaches always talk about taking things one game at a time. That’s a pretty steady theme across all of sports, even if those same players and coaches are secretly thinking and planning weeks in advance.
Notre Dame football fans, on the other hand, are free to look towards the end of the season, into next season, or just a week or so down the road. Today, Vegas is allowing Fighting Irish fans to look past the Pittsburgh Panthers to the Clemson Tigers by offering up an early line. At least from one sportsbook.
According to DraftKings, Notre Dame football is favored over Clemson by four points. They’re favored despite the fact that the Irish are going into Death Valley, which is traditionally a very tough place for opponents to play.
Officially Frank Howard Field at Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson’s stadium has long been referred to Death Valley because of the Tigers’ home-field advantage. Under head coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers have only been harder to beat there.
But things have changed a bit this year.
Notre Dame football prepping for two wins
Clemson isn’t the powerhouse it’s been in recent seasons. Somewhat ironically, they started getting exposed as a lesser version of themselves when they lost to Duke to open the season. Notre Dame football on the other hand, had some people believing they were still a playoff contender when they beat the Blue Devils.
The Tigers have since lost to Miami and Florida State. The loss to the Seminoles was also in Death Valley. Meanwhile, after losing to Lousiville, the Fighting Irish routed a USC team that was ranked in the Top 10 when they played.
For now, Notre Dame football is getting ready to play Pitt as near three-touchdown favorites. But it appears their win over USC has convinced some the Irish are back to being a national power.