College football betting: Why Miami is a good bet to win the ACC - ESPN

Heading into the season, I had Clemson circled. Preseason, they were the even-money ACC favorite, and I thought they had the balance, depth, and experience to control this conference. Miami, meanwhile, sat second on the odds board at +425. I saw potential, but I needed proof before buying in.

After Week 1, everything feels different. Clemson lost 17-10 at home to LSU, and Miami beat Notre Dame 27-24 in a game that told me a lot about where these two programs are right now. The market noticed, too. Miami stayed the second favorite, but their odds shifted from +425 to +325, and I agree with the move. I see value there.

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Preseason, I had Clemson pegged as the safest team to back in the ACC. That confidence has cooled.

Clemson's offense was a problem against LSU, and not in the «Week 1 rust» kind of way. They finished with just 261 total yards and only 13 first downs to LSU's 25, went 3-for-13 on third down, and were shut out in the second half. Cade Klubnik went 19-of-38 with one interception, but he didn't have much help, as the run game was nonexistent, managing only 31 yards on 20 carries. LSU controlled the line of scrimmage, and once Clemson became one-dimensional, the offense stalled. A failed fourth-down attempt inside the red zone late summed up their night: no rhythm, no finish, no spark.

This isn't just about one game, either. With Klubnik under center, Clemson is now 3-5 against ranked opponents. Against better defenses, the offense struggles to create explosive plays and lacks a consistent identity. Even the defense, which I expected to progress preseason, raised questions. While they held LSU to 17 points, they gave up 354 total