The Clemson Tigers will be looking to return to the College Football Playoff national championship game for the fourth time in five years when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday as slim 2-point favorites on the college football betting odds.
Clemson is coming off a crushing 62-17 rout of the Virginia Cavaliers to claim a fifth straight ACC conference title and extend their current straight-up win streak to 28 games going into Saturday night’s matchup at State Farm Stadium.
The Tigers have been simply spectacular on both sides of the ball this season. Clemson leads the nation on defense this season after surrendering just 10.6 points per game and holding opponents to single-digit point totals in three of its past six outings. The Tigers also rank fourth in the nation in points scored this season, averaging 46.5 points per game. The Clemson offense has been particularly prolific while running up the score in recent weeks, averaging a lofty 54.2 points per game over the team’s past six outings.
Those impressive numbers have translated to steady payouts for sports bettors. The Tigers have covered the spread in seven of their past eight games, while the OVER has paid out in totals betting in four of their past six contests. Despite their strong finish, Clemson finds itself entering the College Football Playoff pegged at No. 3 on the College Football Playoff rankings. The Tigers also trail on the odds to win the national championship, joining Ohio State as +215 co-second favorites, well back of the LSU Tigers, who lead the way as +115 chalk in college football betting.
But while the Tigers lag on those college football odds, they take an outstanding track record into this year’s edition of the College Football Playoff. Clemson has posted wins in three of its previous four CFP semi-final appearances including a decisive 31-0 victory over Ohio State as a 1.5-point underdog three years ago. The Tigers have also claimed the national championship in two of the past three years, paying out as betting underdogs in each of those victories.
However, the Tigers own a checkered record when pegged as betting favorites of three or fewer points, going 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS in their past eight. That run includes a lopsided 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl that marked Clemson’s third straight outright loss as slim betting chalk in the postseason.
Buckeyes Back in Mix in College Football Playoff
The Buckeyes make their first appearance in the College Football Playoff in three years after capping an undefeated season with a 34-21 win over Wisconsin as heavy 16.5-point favorites in this year’s Big Ten championship game. With the win, the Buckeyes locked up the No. 2 spot on the CFP rankings, and extended their SU win streak to 19 games.
Like the Tigers, the Ohio State offense has been dominant this season, racking up a top-ranked 48.7 points per game, and has averaged an impressive 49.5 points in six contests away from Ohio Stadium. However, with the squad failing to top 34 points in two of their past four outings, they have failed to cover in three of their past four outings, ending an eight-game ATS win streak.
In addition, injuries remain a concern for the Buckeyes. Most notable is Justin Fields, who remains hobbled by an injury suffered in OSU’s 28-17 win over Penn State on November 23. While Fields has reportedly not missed any practice time, he is expected to once again wear the knee brace he has sported in each of the past two games.
Historically, the Buckeyes have produced winning results in the postseason, going 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in their past six bowl game appearances, but have lost outright in their past two as betting underdogs.
*Odds as of December 27, 2019
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