Clemson vs. Georgia Tech odds, line: 2022 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game picks, predictions from expert on 6-0 run

The No. 4 Clemson Tigers will try to rebound from what they see as a disappointing season starting Monday in the 2022 Chik-fil-A Kickoff Game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Clemson won 10 games in 2021, but missing out on the College Football Playoff for the first time in seven years made it a down year. The Tigers made the final four times and won two championships in those six seasons. In Monday night’s prime-time game in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they aim to show their offense can complement an elite defense that carried the load last season. And that offense showed its first real signs of trouble in a tense 14-8 home victory against Georgia Tech last September. The Yellow Jackets went 3-9 last season and have lost seven straight to their cross-division ACC rivals. However, they started last season with some positive moments while going 3-3, and they hope experience makes for a better 2022.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Tigers are 23.5-point favorites in Caesars Sportsbook’s latest Clemson vs. Georgia Tech odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 51. Before making any Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks or Week 1 college football predictions, you need to see what SportsLine’s Josh Nagel has to say.

Nagel is a Nevada-based handicapper with more than 20 years of experience in the sports wagering industry. Since the start of the 2018 college football season, he is 207-175-6 on all college football picks, returning a profit of $1,397. In addition, he has a particularly keen eye for the Tigers, going 6-0 on his picks involving Clemson, returning $400 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his advice is way up.

Now, Nagel has set his sights on Clemson vs. Georgia Tech and just locked in his picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Nagel’s picks. Here are several college football odds and betting lines for Georgia Tech vs. Clemson:

• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech spread: Tigers -23.5
• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech over/under: 51 points
• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech money line: Tigers -2400, Yellow Jackets +1150
• CLEM: Clemson is 28-16-1 ATS in conference games since 2017
• GT: Georgia Tech is 19-21-1 ATS in its ACC matchups since 2017
• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Clemson can cover

The favorite is 5-1-1 against the spread in the past seven meetings between the teams, and last season’s outcome might’ve been an aberration. The Tigers had won the previous six meetings during the win streak by at least 14 points, including a 73-7 demolition in 2020. Clemson is 19-9 ATS in neutral-site games since Dabo Swinney took over as coach during the 2008 season. A defense that was one of the best in the nation last season should be just as solid this time around. It allowed 14.9 points per contest, second-best in the nation, and 313 yards per game (seventh).

That defense allowed only a field goal to Georgia in the 2021 opener. The lone TD in the 10-3 Bulldogs victory was on a second-quarter interception return. Ends Myles Murphy (seven sacks) and Xavier Thomas (3.5) and tackles Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis make up a formidable front. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who had a relatively disappointing season after earning Heisman hype coming in, should be improved, and running backs Will Shipley and Kobe Pace combined for 1,380 rushing yards and 17 TDs. The Tigers are 5-1 ATS in their last six, and Tech is 1-7 in its past eight.  

Why Georgia Tech can cover

Georgia Tech should take some confidence from last year’s matchup. They managed just three field goals and a safety but held the Tigers to just two touchdowns on their turf. They held Uiagalelei to 126 passing yards and picked him off once. Georgia Tech is 5-1-1 ATS in its past seven at a neutral site and faces a Clemson team that is 0-7 ATS in its past seven September games. Tech has a veteran signal-caller in Jeff Sims who can avoid the rush, and he has 3,349 passing yards and 25 TDs over the past two seasons. He has rushed for 864 and 10 TDs.

The Yellow Jackets lost top rusher Jahmyr Gibbs, who transferred to Alabama, but they should have solid replacements in Hassan Hall and Dylan McDuffie. McDuffie had 1,049 yards (5.1 per carry) and 11 TDs for Buffalo last season, while Hall rushed for 1,299 (4.8 per carry) and 13 scores in 42 games at Louisville. 

How to make Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks

Nagel has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under on the point total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side to back, at SportsLine.

Who wins Clemson vs. Georgia Tech? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Georgia Tech vs. Clemson picks, all from the expert who is crushing college football, and find out.