UM AT CLEMSON FAST FACTS, ODDS, KEYS,

PREDICTIONS

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina Latest line: Clemson is favored by 19.5 points. TV: ESPN Radio: 560 WQAM, Actualidad 1040 (Spanish) Weather: 55 degrees, no chance of precipitation Online: sunsentinel.com/um Quick slant: Both the Hurricanes and Tigers picked up needed wins after losing two weeks ago. But Miami and Clemson are in two wildly different spots: The Tigers are trying to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive, while Miami is trying to pick up one more win so it can reach a bowl game. About Miami (5-5): The Hurricanes picked up a crucial victory over Georgia Tech last week. For the first time in weeks, the offense came alive, scoring four touchdowns after going nine consecutive quarters without a single end-zone appearance. Freshman quarterback Jacurri Brown accounted for three of those touchdowns in the victory. About Clemson (9-1): After losing their first game of the year to Notre Dame, the Tigers responded 31-16 win over Louisville. Clemson combines a solid offense (28th in the nation in scoring) with a strong defense (28th in the nation in points allowed per game). Three things to watch 1. The Hurricanes do not plan to announce who will start at quarterback, but Brown looked more than capable against Georgia Tech. Brown showed he could make plays in both the running and passing game, but that was against a defense that ranks 87th nationally in scoring defense and 95th nationally in total defense. It will be much tougher for him to be successful against a more talented Clemson defense, if he does ultimately make the start. 2. Running back Will Shipley was rated a five-star prospect in the 2021 class, and he has delivered on his potential. He has 899 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground this season, and he added 168 receiving yards. He is a dangerous offensive weapon for the Tigers and allows them to move the ball even if the passing game struggles. Last week, he showed off his athleticism with a hurdle over a defender en route to the end zone. 3. Clemson has not had consistent quarterback play since Trevor Lawrence departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars. DJ Uiagalelei has struggled at times, but has put together a solid all-around season. He has completed more than 65 percent of his passes for 2,179 yards and 19 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He also has run for 405 yards and five touchdowns. Five-star freshman Cade Klubnik has occasionally replaced Uiagalelei but only in small doses, completing nine of 20 passes for 85 yards.