College Football Championship 2020: Odds, Critical Matchups in LSU vs. Clemson

The 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship will be a battle of the Tigers.

No. 1 LSU and No. 3 Clemson will be the two teams battling for the national title after each won its CFP semifinal matchup Saturday. LSU beat No. 4 Oklahoma 63-28 in the Peach Bowl, while Clemson held on for a 29-23 win over No. 2 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

LSU is in the College Football Playoff for the first time and will be looking to win its first national title since 2007. Clemson will be looking to win the national championship for the third time in four seasons.

Here's the important information for this year's CFP National Championship, followed by three key matchups for the upcoming LSU-Clemson contest.

CFP National Championship Info

Date: Monday, Jan. 13

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Odds (via Caesars): LSU -4.5

Three Critical Matchups

LSU QB Joe Burrow vs. Clemson's secondary

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Burrow is having one of the best seasons in college football history. And if Clemson is going to beat Burrow and LSU, it may need to find a way to limit his production.

It's much easier said than done. Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner, passed for 493 yards and seven touchdowns in LSU's Peach Bowl victory over Oklahoma. He completed 29 of his 39 pass attempts and also added a rushing score.

One way Clemson could try to limit Burrow is by locking down on LSU's playmakers, a group that includes wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase, both of whom have more than 1,000 receiving yards this season, and tight end Thaddeus Moss.

If there's any team that potentially could have the secondary to stop LSU, it may be Clemson. Through its first 13 games, Clemson allowed only 138.5 passing yards per game, which ranked first in the nation. It allowed Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to pass for 320 yards in the Fiesta Bowl, but it notched a pair of interceptions, including one by Nolan Turner that sealed the game with less than a minute remaining.

Fields is a strong quarterback, but he's no Burrow. And Clemson can't allow the LSU quarterback to have another performance like he did in the Peach Bowl if it's going to win the national title.

Clemson WR Tee Higgins vs. LSU's defensive backs

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Although Higgins left the Fiesta Bowl with an injury, he returned in the second half and finished the game for Clemson. He had four receptions for 33 yards.

It wasn't the best showing for Higgins, who could be a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, but that could be attributed to his injury. However, his return provides optimism that he'll be in good shape to suit up for Clemson in the CFP National Championship in 15 days. Especially based on Higgins' comments after Saturday's game, during which he said he didn't have to undergo concussion protocol.

"It was just my body—I was really sore," Higgins said, according to Alex Maminakis of The Journal. "We had to come in here and get it looked at, and I was able to come back in the second half."

Now, Higgins will have to prepare for one of his most difficult matchups of the season. LSU's secondary is filled with talented defensive backs such as senior cornerback Kristian Fulton, freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and junior safeties JaCoby Stevens and Grant Delpit.

No matter which of those defensive backs cover Higgins, it could be a tough night for Clemson's standout receiver.

LSU's defensive front vs. Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Lawrence flashed his mobility during the Fiesta Bowl, as he had 16 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown in Clemson's win over Ohio State. The majority of those yards came on a 67-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that cut the Buckeyes' lead to 16-14 with 1 minute, 10 seconds remaining in the first half.

Although Lawrence is known more for his arm, he showed that his legs can also be a valuable asset to Clemson's offense.

That's why LSU must be cognizant of the potential for Lawrence to take off for a big run, as he did against Ohio State, which could easily shift momentum in the CFP National Championship. LSU has a strong front seven on defense, which includes sophomore linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson and senior defensive end Rashard Lawrence leading the way.

LSU's defense just played a mobile quarterback, as it faced Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts in the Peach Bowl. Hurts, who is one of the best running quarterbacks in the country, may have scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground, but he had only 14 carries for 43 yards, none of which were longer than 12 yards.

That experience should help LSU's defense contain Lawrence and force him to stay in the pocket. Of course, Lawrence could have a big game through the air, so LSU will also need to find a way to stop his aerial attack.