Clemson Tigers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Saturday January 10 2026
Atlantic Coast Conference college hoops action on Saturday evening, and we have a Clemson vs Notre Dame prediction ready to rock and roll. Clemson enters this contest off a hard-fought 74-70 home win over SMU to move to 13-3 on the season. The Fighting Irish are off a tough 72-71 loss to California on the road, and they are now 10-5 on the year. Clemson won last year's meeting at home by a score of 83-68. Continue reading to see our Clemson vs Notre Dame prediction.
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Tigers Hold Off #24 SMU
Clemson heads to South Bend riding a real surge of momentum after a 74–70 win over No. 24 SMU, their sixth straight victory. It was the kind of game that showed exactly why this group has climbed to 13–3: toughness on defense, timely scoring, and a rotation that keeps finding different contributors. RJ Godfrey led the way with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Dillon Hunter added 10 points and four assists, and Clemson’s defense completely smothered an SMU team that came in averaging 91.5 points per game. The Tigers held the Mustangs to 37.3% shooting, forced 13 turnovers, and built a 15‑point second‑half lead before closing it out at the line. Even on a night when Clemson shot under 30% from three, their physicality, rim scoring, and defensive discipline carried them through — a theme throughout this winning streak.
For the season, Clemson averages 77.9 points per game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 32.9% from three, with a solid 37.7 rebounds per game. The defense has quietly become elite: opponents are scoring just 65.9 points per game and shooting 39.8%, both top‑20 nationally. That defensive backbone is the key against Notre Dame, a team that wants to slow the game down and grind possessions. Clemson needs Godfrey’s interior presence again, steadier perimeter shooting than they showed against SMU, and another composed night from Hunter controlling tempo. If the Tigers keep defending at this level and avoid the scoring droughts that occasionally pop up, they’re built to take their winning streak on the road and extend it in South Bend.
Fighting Irish Fall Short At Cal
Notre Dame comes back home still stinging from that 72–71 loss at Cal, a game they controlled for long stretches before the wild final sequence flipped it on them. Braeden Shrewsberry’s 21 points and Jalen Haralson’s steady 17 kept the Irish in front most of the night, and they actually won the glass 44–34, but the offense stalled late and they finished at just 40% from the field. That’s been the story of their season: they grind, they defend, and they keep games in the 60s and low 70s, but they don’t have much margin for error. They’re averaging 74.3 points on 45.7% shooting with a respectable 36.9% from three, but the free‑throw line (69.6%) and turnover rate (11.6 per game) can betray them. What keeps them in every matchup is the defense—holding opponents to 66.7 points per game and just 40.4% shooting, both top‑40 nationally, and they rebound well enough to finish possessions.
Against Clemson, the formula doesn’t change, but the stakes rise. Clemson’s physicality inside and their ability to score efficiently from two‑point range will test Notre Dame’s interior rotations, and the Irish can’t afford the scoring droughts that have popped up in several of their losses. They’ll need Shrewsberry’s shot‑making, Haralson’s downhill pressure, and another strong rebounding night to control tempo. Clemson prefers to play through the halfcourt, so if Notre Dame can dictate pace, keep the Tigers off the offensive glass, and avoid the late‑game miscues that cost them in Berkeley, they’re built to make this another low‑possession, one‑or‑two‑possession ACC fight.
Clemson vs Notre Dame Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
Clemson vs Notre Dame Spread Pick
- Notre Dame +2 (5 Units)
Notre Dame +2 is a perfectly reasonable angle because this matchup plays directly into the way the Irish want games to look — slow, physical, and decided in the halfcourt. Clemson is the hotter team, no question, but they also rely heavily on efficiency inside the arc, and Notre Dame’s defense has been elite at forcing tough twos and keeping opponents under 40.4% shooting. The Irish rebound well enough to avoid getting bullied, they’re at home, and their style naturally drags opponents into low‑possession grinders where every trip matters. Clemson’s offense can stall for stretches, and if this turns into the kind defensive battle that Notre Dame prefers, getting a couple of points with the home side has real value.
Clemson vs Notre Dame Over/Under Pick
- Under 133 (5 Units)
The Under 133 fits the matchup almost too cleanly when you factor in how painfully slow both teams play — Clemson sitting 314th in pace, Notre Dame even slower at 326th — which all but guarantees long, grinding possessions and limited shot volume. Clemson’s defense is legitimately top‑20 caliber in both points allowed (65.9) and opponent FG% (39.8%), and their games tend to settle into halfcourt battles where every bucket is earned. Notre Dame is built the same way: they allow just 66.7 points, force tough twos, and rebound well enough to prevent second‑chance scoring. Neither team shoots the three particularly well, both prefer to run offense through the elbows and mid‑post, and both are comfortable playing games in the high 50s or low 60s. With two deliberate offenses, two disciplined defenses, and two coaches who are perfectly happy to let the shot clock bleed, this has all the ingredients of a classic ACC rock fight that stays well below the number.
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