LSU Opens As A 5.5-Point Favorite Over Clemson In The National Title Game

The college football season isn’t over by a long shot, but there’s only one game left that needs to be played before the sport determines its national champion. The LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers will square off in the College Football Playoff Championship on Jan. 15 in New Orleans, and when the clock finally hits zero, we’ll know which streak of Tigers is able to come out on top.

It’s shaping up to be an epic contest between two teams that seamlessly blend speed, skill, and strength. LSU mollywhopped Oklahoma in their semifinal tilt at the Peach Bowl thanks to a historic afternoon from Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, while Clemson came from behind twice in the Fiesta Bowl to knock off Ohio State. And while a lot needs to happen between now and the game, the Tigers from Baton Rouge are viewed as the early favorites by folks in the dessert.

According to BetOnline, LSU opened up as a 5.5-point favorite over Clemson with a point total of 69. Las Vegas is apparently expecting a whole lot of points, which shouldn’t come as a huge shock, as both of these offenses are capable of scoring in bunches and have big play threats all over the field.

Both squads enter the game with unblemished records, so while it’s not a surprise that LSU are favorited to beat an opponent, seeing Clemson as 5.5-point underdogs is a strange sight. Then again, the Tigers just happened to be 5.5-point underdogs entering last year’s title game, which saw them beat Alabama, 44-16, so perhaps Dabo Swinney and Co. can recapture whatever magic they had a year ago and defend their championship.