Clemson Tigers vs Ohio State Buckeyes Predictions, Picks, Odds, and NCAA Football Betting Preview – Playstation Fiesta Bowl CFB Semi Final – December 28 2019
Oh boy. What a matchup we have in the Fiesta Bowl. Two undefeated teams who are champions of their respective conference will collide in Glendale with the defending national champions Clemson Tigers going up against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Will the Tigers win and book a return flight to the National Championship Game? Or will the Buckeyes unseat the reigning champs?
Betting on the Clemson Tigers (13-0 Overall / 8-0 Conference)
The Tigers made it to the College Football Playoff without a single blemish on their record. They extended their perfection with a dominant 62-17 win over the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Championship Game, which could also be viewed as a mere glorified exhibition given the size of the winning margin. Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence put up a mint performance against the Cavaliers, as he tossed four touchdowns with zero errors on 16-of-22 completions. Meanwhile, he got lots of help from running back Travis Etienne, who had 114 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. The Tigers’ offense is more than just about the duo of Lawrence and Etienne, though. It can also be seen as a foursome with wide receivers Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross in the mix. Higgins has 1,082 receiving yards this season, while Ross has 742. Between the two, they have amassed 21 touchdown catches. Ohio State’s defense isn’t going to be as easy to deal with, but Lawrence has been on this stage before and his and Clemson’s experience on this stage will be valuable. That’s not to mention Clemson’s defense that is tops in the nation with just 10.3 points allowed per game.
Clemson is 8-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 games.
Betting on the Ohio State Buckeyes (13-0 Overall / 8-0 Conference)
Similar to the Tigers, Ohio State is bringing an immaculate slate to the Fiesta Bowl. The Buckeyes won the Big Ten title with a 34-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in a game that put some sweats early on for Ohio State fans before the team broke away in the second half. The Buckeyes are a scary bunch of offensive forces. Quarterback Justin Fields has 2,953 passing yards and 40 touchdowns against just an interception (!). Fields is able to track down his receivers and avoid plenty of pressure from opposing pass rushers because he’s got running back JK Dobbins supporting him on offense. Dobbins is fourth in the nation with 1,829 rushing yards and 20 rushing scores. Fields is also having success because of the mix of talent he has as options downfield. Chris Olawe leads the team with 799 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, while KJ Hill has 569 receiving yards and 10 TDs. There are also four other Buckeyes with at least four receiving touchdowns on the season. The offensive line has given 31.0 sacks on the season, third-most in the Big Ten, but that hasn’t been too big of an issue for Ohio State, which simply has too many creative and athletic playmakers.
