College Football National Championship 2020: Odds Guide for Clemson vs. LSU

The LSU Tigers have an opportunity to finish their remarkable undefeated campaign with a win on home soil in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Since its matchup with the Clemson Tigers was determined, LSU has been listed as the favorite to come out on top in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The first over/under posted suggested the ACC and SEC champions could be locked in a high-scoring affair, but that number has dipped in the days before Monday's clash.

Ed Orgeron's side is still the overwhelming favorite on the moneyline, but the value on Clemson has shortened slightly, making it one of the wagers to keep an eye on in the buildup to kickoff.

National Championship Odds

Spread: LSU (-5.5) 

Over/Under: 68

Money Line: LSU -220 (bet $220 to win $100); Clemson +185 (bet $100 to win $185)

Odds via Caesars.

Odds Guide

If you apply the 5.5-point spread to LSU's six previous meetings with Top 25 foes this season, it would have covered on four occasions.

The only two teams to play within five points of the SEC champion were the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide.

Despite allowing 508 total yards to Joe Burrow and Co., Auburn limited LSU to 23 points and 9-for-19 on third-down conversions. Auburn also held LSU to 10 first-half points, and if Clemson performs that well Monday, it could control the contest.

The LSU-Alabama game played out differently, as the Crimson Tide made a fourth-quarter surge to try to win on home soil.

If Clemson steals pieces of what Auburn's defense did to contain LSU in certain spots, it may have an advantage no other opponent has had against the Bayou Bengals. Clemson may be able to execute specific ideas better than Auburn since it leads the FBS in points and total yards allowed per game.

Another factor to consider before making your final spread bet is how Clemson's secondary performed against Alabama's elite group of wide receivers in last season's National Championship. In the 44-16 win, Clemson picked off Tua Tagovailoa twice and allowed a single receiver to have more than five catches.

The ACC champion's secondary does not have to be perfect, but if it slows down Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and others, or comes up with a turnover, it could have an affect on the spread, over/under and moneyline.

Dabo Swinney's side carries title-game experience in most parts of its roster, as Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins were all key figures in the offensive outburst against Alabama.

In LSU's six Top 25 clashes, it allowed five opponents to score 20 or more points, which is a positive sign for the over, which has gone from 69.5 to 68 in the days before the title clash.

Four of those games, including the Peach Bowl win over the Oklahoma Sooners, featured 70 or more points.

LSU is the main example here because it carries the larger sample size of ranked matchups, and its defense has been more susceptible to conceding, with eight of its foes finishing with more than 20 points.

Clemson's defense was consistent throughout ACC play, but it faced a much weaker schedule than LSU did in the SEC.

In the Fiesta Bowl, the ACC winner allowed its highest point total of the campaign to the Ohio State Buckeyes. If LSU's high-powered offense achieves similar success but is able to convert that more into touchdowns, the over should be in play.

Clemson's previous title-game experience makes it an intriguing play on the moneyline, and with the value still at +185, it is worth a shot if you have confidence in it to remain close for the entirety of the game.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.