Clemson vs. LSU: Best Odds Picks for CFP National Championship 2020

The Clemson Tigers and LSU Tigers possess high-powered offenses that could turn the College Football Playoff National Championship into a high-scoring affair. 

LSU and Clemson rank first and third, respectively, in the FBS in total yards per game going into this title clash, and both teams sit in the top four of points per contest. 

Those numbers could lead you to believe a fast-paced game is in store at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, but Clemson has a mixed history of success in its three previous championship appearances. 

The better wager for the January 13 contest may be the first-half total since Clemson's current crop of players shined in the first two quarters vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide a year ago.

LSU's ability to score quickly in the first two quarters may lean you in that direction more, but when it comes to the overall game total, the decision may be more difficult. 

Best National Championship Odds

Odds via Caesars.

1st-Half Over: 35

There could be some hesitancy to take the first-half over because Clemson was shut out in the first quarter of the Fiesta Bowl and did not score its first points until the 2:45 mark of the second period. 

The ACC champion also held firm defensively by limiting the Ohio State Buckeyes to three field goals in the first 30 minutes. 

But there is reason to believe the first-half over can hit based on Clemson's performance in last season's title clash with Alabama

In that contest, Clemson racked up 31 of the 47 first-half points, and 27 points were scored by both sides in the opening stanza. 

That game bucked a trend of low-scoring first halves in Clemson-Alabama title games. 

In 2016, the two sides combined for 28 first-half points before they exploded for 38 in the fourth quarter. 

One year later, Clemson managed seven points in the first two quarters and faced a 14-7 halftime deficit. 

The production from last season is the one to base this bet on since a majority of Clemson's top offensive players participated in that contest. 

In that game, Travis Etienne ran for two scores before halftime and caught another from Trevor Lawrence, while Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins each found the end zone in the second half. 

LSU does not have any title-game history in the playoff era, but it has thrived in the first half recently. 

Ed Orgeron's side put up 49 points in the opening two quarters of the Peach Bowl and racked up 17 to break out to 14-point halftime advantage in the SEC Championship Game. 

If Joe Burrow and Lawrence come out on fire, a five-touchdown total could be easy to reach for both teams in 30 minutes.

Full-Game Under: 69.5

There is a chance the full-game under hits because the two sides combined to concede 31.8 points per game. 

Clemson enters with the best scoring defense in the FBS with 10.6 points allowed per contest, while LSU's defense has been a bit more susceptible to scoring.

Two of the three best defenses LSU faced were the Georgia Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers. 

Even though the SEC champion racked up 37 points on Kirby Smart's team, the combined game score was 47. 

On October 26, LSU and Auburn combined for 43 points in a game that featured LSU's lowest points total of the campaign. 

Clemson took control in the second half of the Fiesta Bowl, but it only produced 15 points after halftime. 

A year ago, the Tigers managed 14 points in the third and fourth quarters despite blowing out Alabama. 

If the first 30 minutes feature plenty of big plays, the respective defensive coordinators could come out of the half with adjustments that slow down the opponents enough to keep the total under 69.5. 

While three playoff-era championship games have produced 60 or more points, only one has eclipsed the current total set for the January 13 contest. 

If that trend occurs, we could still see an exciting game dominated by offense, but it may not hit the full-game over. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.