College Football Championship Game 2020: Viewing Info, Odds and Prediction

The Clemson Tigers have only faced SEC teams in their four trips to the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Clemson's first three title tilts came against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but this one pits it against the LSU Tigers.

Head coach Ed Orgeron's side is considered a strong favorite as the No. 1 seed and with the contest played in its home state.

Whichever program comes out on top in the Superdome will be the first of their seed variety to win a championship in the playoff era.

Entering this season, only the No. 2 and No. 4 seeds captured the crown. Clemson is the No. 3 seed, while LSU earned top honors from the selection committee.

National Championship Information

Date: Monday, January 13

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Spread (via Caesars): LSU (-5.5)

Over/Under: 68.5

Money Line: LSU (-230; bet $230 to win $100); Clemson (+190; bet $100 to win $190)

Prediction

LSU 38, Clemson 34

LSU has experienced mixed results against teams that rank in the top 10 of scoring offense.

On November 9, the SEC champion was locked in bit of a duel with Alabama that was decided by five points. The Crimson Tide finished the season with the sixth-most total yards per game.

In the Peach Bowl, LSU had more success versus the Oklahoma Sooners, who lost by 35 points and were out of the game by halftime. The Big 12 champion ranked fourth in total yards per game.

Clemson is expected to stick with LSU, but in a different manner than Alabama, who racked up 21 fourth-quarter points to trim the final deficit to five points.

Head coach Dabo Swinney's side averages 45.3 points per game, which is 3.6 fewer than the top-ranked LSU unit, and it holds a significant advantage in rushing yards per contest with 246.1 compared to 166.9 from the SEC champion.

The reigning champion also boasts the best defense LSU has faced, as it sits first in points and total yards allowed per game.

If the ACC winner is able to contain Joe Burrow and Co. on a few possessions, it could keep the contest in the 30s or the low 40s and remain within one score for a prolonged time.

Clemson's title-winning experience may also be a factor Monday, as a majority of the top contributors on both sides of the ball played well in the 44-16 win over Alabama last season.

Trevor Lawrence threw for 347 yards in that game, while Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins were his two leading receivers.

Additionally, Clemson's leading rusher and top tackler from that victory, Travis Etienne and Isaiah Simmons, will be on the field for Monday's clash.

All of those factors could lead to Clemson covering the 5.5-point spread, and it may allow the over, which has dropped a point in recent days from 69.5 to 68.5, to hit as well.

LSU still has a chance to win outright because it contains six victories over Top 25 opponents and Burrow has been hard for any defense to stop for four quarters.

The Heisman Trophy winner owns eight consecutive 300-yard performances and he has 22 scoring throws versus ranked foes.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.