Clemson football plays Duke today: kickoff time, odds, TV channel, stream, radio

The 2023 Clemson football season is upon us.

Here’s your gameday guide for the No. 9 Tigers’ season opener at Duke as they try to win an eighth ACC championship in nine years and return to the College Football Playoff. It starts with a primetime Labor Day night matchup.

Clemson vs. Duke game, TV info

Who: No. 9 Clemson (0-0, 0-0 ACC) at Duke (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

When: 8 p.m. Monday

Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, N.C.

TV: ESPN

Broadcast crew: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Tom Luginbill

Stream: Via ESPN or the ESPN app

Local radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area (see all Clemson radio affiliates here)

Satellite radio: SiriusXM 133 or 193

Series history: Clemson leads 37-16-1 and has won five straight

Clemson vs. Duke betting odds

Clemson is a consensus 12.5-point betting favorite against Duke, according to VegasInsider.com, after opening as anywhere from a 10- to 12-point favorite in most major sportsbooks. The game’s over/under is 55.5 points, per The Action Network.

Weather forecast for Durham, NC

Clear skies with a low of 69 degrees, according to Weather.com. Monday night will be humid with light winds and a pre-kickoff sunset around 7:40 p.m.

Top storylines for the game

• Clemson enters the season with very few injuries among players on the two-deep depth chart. Most notably, star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (hamstring) said last week he’ll be ready to go. Coach Dabo Swinney said backup receiver Troy Stellato (hamstring) is also practicing in full. Backup defensive tackles Tré Williams (shoulder) and Vic Burley (knee) and backup defensive end Armon Mason (undisclosed) won’t play, per Swinney.

• The Tigers will unveil a new-look offense on a national stage, as offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will make his Clemson debut against Duke. Riley, the younger brother of Southern Cal coach Lincoln Riley, was a coaching star last year as he led TCU’s offense to an improbable national championship game appearance. Riley won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2022 before Swinney hired him in January to replace Brandon Streeter, who Swinney fired after one season as OC. Riley, 33, promises a dynamic Air Raid system that’ll also give some love to the run game.

• Swinney insists the opener is as tough as any game on Clemson’s schedule since there’s so much newness, but that hasn’t bothered the Tigers in the past. Clemson has won 12 of its last 14 season openers. Their experience in Week 1 games against ACC teams is a bit more limited (15 instances since 1953), but they’re 12-2-1 in those games.

• Duke quarterback Riley Leonard understandably generates a lot of buzz, but the Blue Devils’ defense is legit. Duke, in 2022, took massive strides under first-year coach and former Wake Forest/Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko and finished the year ranking No. 1 nationally in fumble recoveries (16) and No. 2 in turnover margin (+1.23).

Clemson vs. Duke players to watch

• Clemson QB Cade Klubnik: After spending almost a year on the bench, Klubnik showed flashes of greatness in the ACC championship game and Orange Bowl. Now, the country’s former No. 1 QB recruit is the undisputed guy for the Tigers.

• Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: Trotter, the son of an NFL All-Pro linebacker, is already drawing 2024 draft buzz. The preseason AP All-American led Clemson in total tackles (92) and tackles for loss (13.5) in 2022 and tied for the lead in sacks.

• Duke QB Riley Leonard: Duke will need a huge day from Leonard, a junior, to hang with Clemson. He’s one of only three returning FBS quarterbacks who had at least 20 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns last season.

• Duke DT DeWayne Carter: Carter is a big-bodied, veteran defensive tackle who could give the Tigers some issues. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound fifth-year senior enters 2023 with career totals of 21.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Clemson 2023 football schedule

Sept. 4: at Duke, 8 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 9: vs. Charleston Southern, 2:15 p.m., ACC Network

Sept. 16: vs. Florida Atlantic, 8 p.m., ACC Network

Sept. 23: vs. Florida State

Sept. 30: at Syracuse

Oct. 7: vs. Wake Forest

Oct. 14: OPEN

Oct. 21: at Miami

Oct. 28: at N.C. State

Nov. 4: vs. Notre Dame

Nov. 11: vs. Georgia Tech

Nov. 18: vs. North Carolina

Nov. 25: vs. South Carolina

Clemson 2023 depth chart

Offense

QB: Cade Klubnik (Hunter Helms)

RB: Will Shipley OR Phil Mafah (Domonique Thomas)

Outside WR: Beaux Collins (Brannon Spector OR Troy Stellato)

Outside WR: Adam Randall OR Cole Turner (Hampton Earle)

Slot WR: Antonio Williams (Tyler Brown)

LT: Tristan Leigh OR Collin Sadler

LG: Marcus Tate (Trent Howard)

C: Will Putnam (Ryan Linthicum OR Trent Howard)

RG: Walker Parks (Mitchell Mayes)

RT: Blake Miller (Mitchell Mayes)

Defense

DE: Xavier Thomas (T.J. Parker)

DT: Tyler Davis OR Peter Woods (Payton Page)

DT: Ruke Orhorhoro OR Peter Woods (DeMonte Capehart)

DE: Justin Mascoll (Cade Denhoff)

Strong-side LB: Wade Woodaz (Jamal Anderson)

Middle LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (Kobe McCloud OR Dee Crayton)

Weak-side LB: Barrett Carter (Wade Woodaz)

CB: Sheridan Jones (Toriano Pride Jr.)

SS: R.J. Mickens (Sherrod Covil Jr.)

FS: Jalyn Phillips (Kylon Griffin)

Nickelback: Andrew Mukuba (Khalil Barnes)

CB: Nate Wiggins (Jeadyn Lukus)

Special teams

PK: Robert Gunn III (Quinn Castner)

P: Aidan Swanson (Jack Smith)

KO: Robert Gunn III (Aidan Swanson)

LS (PK): Holden Caspersen (Philip Florenzo)

LS (P): Philip Florenzo (Holden Caspersen)

H: Clay Swinney

PR: Antonio Williams (Tyler Brown)