ESPN College GameDay Analysts Give Picks for Clemson Tigers Against Louisville

The GameDay crew feels strongly about the Clemson Tigers this Saturday against the Louisville Cardinals.

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers are back in action after having last week off, but the end goal remains the same. 

The Tigers will be back in action as they host their ACC rivals Louisville Cardinals at Memorial Stadium in Death Valley.

On Saturday on ESPN’s College Gameday, the personalities on the stage felt strongly about the Tigers. All six panelists selected Clemson to defeat Louisville today in the Week 9 ACC showdown. According to the broadcast, the fan vote also favored the Tigers with 90%. 

“I think Louisville’s the best team Clemson’s played since they opened with Georgia, but I think Clemson will take this in a close one,” said former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban. 

College Gameday picks!

Louisville vs Clemson pic.twitter.com/2Sdnr6SpaR

— College Football Live (@CollegeFBonX) November 2, 2024

Louisville is having a good year itself, but many believe the Tigers will outmatch it at Memorial Stadium, one of the hardest places to play college football. The Cardinals enter today’s contest 5-3 (3-1 in ACC play).

Senior quarterback Tyler Shough will lead the Cardinals on Saturday as they look to continue their impressive passing attack. He currently has 2,348 yards in the air and already 20 touchdown passes. He is coming off 300+ yard passing performances in three of his last four performances. 

“I think this has a chance to be a shootout. I think Louisville can score with them. Cade Klubnik’s legs are the difference in this game,” said ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

The Tigers will look for another fantastic performance from their quarterback. Cade Klubnik has found himself near the top of the nation's power rankings and has been mentioned as a name to be in the running for the Heisman trophy. He has come a long way since starting his career with the Tigers, and there have been plenty of questions about whether he was the right man for the job. He currently sits 5th in the country with a quarterback rating (QBR) of 87.5. 

As for the legendary coach and longtime analyst for College Gameday Lee Corso, he kept it short and sweet. 

“Clemson is 8-0 [vs. Louisville]. Take the cover.”

The kickoff for Saturday is set for 7:30 p.m ET and will be available nationally on ESPN.