College Football Championship 2020: Picking Winner for Clemson vs. LSU

The LSU Tigers appear to have a handful of advantages heading into the College Football Playoff National Championship. 

Ed Orgeron's side is coming off its sixth win over a Top 25 team and its third 60-point performance of the campaign. 

The SEC champion will also have a distinct home-field advantage inside the Superdome, as its fans do not have to travel far from around Louisiana. 

LSU also has the Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Burrow, on its roster and he is commanding an offense that had not been slowed down much.

Despite all of that going in its favor, the No. 1 seed could face some difficulties against the reigning champion Clemson Tigers. 

After all, this is a team that rolled through the College Football Playoff a year ago and has a potential Heisman winner in Trevor Lawrence leading the offense. 

National Championship Prediction

LSU 38, Clemson 28

Three of the five title games in the playoff format have been decided by one possession. 

Although LSU has proven it can blow out any foe in front of it, it will likely have to grind out a win in its home state. 

Burrow comes into New Orleans with eight straight 300-yard performances and 11 touchdown passes in his last two games versus the Oklahoma Sooners and Georgia Bulldogs. 

If the senior produces 372 yards through the air, he will eclipse Washington State's Anthony Gordon as the top FBS passer. He already has the most touchdown passes with 55. 

The Heisman winner could face some resistance from the Clemson defense that kept it in the Fiesta Bowl by forcing the Ohio State Buckeyes to settle for first-half field goals. 

The ACC champion may follow the Auburn Tigers' game plan from October 26 to an extent. In that game, Gus Malzahn's side held LSU to 23 points and forced 12 stops on third and fourth downs. 

Auburn earned six tackles for loss and three sacks in the three-point defeat, and Clemson is capable of putting together a strong pass-rush to threaten Burrow. 

In the Fiesta Bowl, Dabo Swinney's side totaled nine tackles for loss and four sacks, as well as five passes defended. 

If Clemson forces Burrow into a bit of difficulty, it could create a few stops and set up Lawrence and Co. with good field position.

Even if the ACC side is pinned deep in its own end, it proved in the Fiesta Bowl it can march down the field with four touchdown drives of 75 yards or more. 

In situations where LSU finds the end zone, Clemson can counter just as fast through Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins. 

LSU's defense has held its last four opponents under 30 points, but that may not be possible January 13 against a Clemson side that produced at least 35 in its three National Championship appearances. 

The differences could be small, but LSU should prevail by the time the fourth quarter ends. 

Although Clemson played a much tougher foe in the semifinal, it struggled offensively for a good amount of the first half. 

Those types of extended lulls can't happen against an LSU offense that few programs have been able to contain, and if it happens again, the top seed could open up a lead and stay in front. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.