The game everyone is waiting for is all set to take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium down in New Orleans, where the Clemson Tigers will make their final stand to defend the title they won in 2019 against the favorites to take the crown, the LSU Tigers. It’s an interesting game to break down, but harder to pick a winner from, considering the quality of both teams. To help you decide which team to pick as the winner, you can check out what the experts have to say about this game.
Most experts are respecting the offense of LSU, and Staats of NCAA.com is no different. In his piece, Staats gushed about LSU’s drubbing of the Oklahoma Sooners in the CFP semifinals when Joe Burrow and the Tigers’ offense virtually ended the game at the half. After just two quarters, Burrow had landed the biggest blows of the match, scoring seven total touchdowns and giving LSU an insurmountable lead. Of course, Staats is wary of Clemson’s defense but wondered whether Dabo Swinney’s Tigers have enough weapons to slow down Burrow and company.
Expert
Pick
Wayne Staats
LSU
Pete Fiutak – College Football News
Fiutak is leaning towards the direction of LSU, noting some interesting items to consider for both teams in the national title game. Fiutak recognizes that the game will be at a neutral site in New Orleans, but he’s also aware that it’s likely going to be basically a home game for LSU, as its campus isn’t too far away from the Mercedez-Benz Superdome. LSU having the home crowd advantage could be viewed as a little bit unfair, but Clemson is used to the pressure. After all, Clemson is the defending national champion, and it has Trevor Lawrence. One could make a case that Lawrence is better than Burrow, but the latter’s numbers this season are undeniably solid. Fiutak is seeing LSU’s running game as the difference-maker in the game.
Expert
Pick
Pete Fiutak
LSU
Greg Arias – Sports Illustrated
Before the CFP games were played, Greg Arias of Sports Illustrated already had his pick laid out for the national title game. He even had the matchup correct. But unlike most experts, Arias is going for Clemson. Arias thinks that Clemson is not getting the credit it deserves, though, he admitted that the team’s relatively soft schedule was “terrible.” Arias believes that despite LSU’s strides on defense lately, it will be exposed by Lawrence and Clemson’s attack that averaged 44.2 points prior to the postseason.
Expert
Pick
Greg Arias
Clemson
Sports Chat Place
Sports Chat Place’s Anthony is seeing Ed Orgeron’s squad winning it all. Anthony lauds Clemson for coming this far to defend the national title it won a year ago, but for him, LSU is too much of a challenge for Lawrence and the Tigers of ACC. It seems that Anthony’s confidence in Clemson waned when he saw the Sooners rack up 516 yards in the CFP semifinals. Seeing that, he doesn’t think Clemson has what it takes to slow down LSU’s historic offense led by a historic and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
Expert
Pick
Anthony
LSU
Ryan Simpson – TopBet News
TopBet News’ own editor is not going to go against the tide here. Clemson is a well-coached team and the more experienced one in the big stage, but Clemson is also coming off a more punishing CFP semifinals game that its players’ bodies might not have fully recovered from by the time the national title game arrives. Still, this is going to be a closely contested match that will be won by the team with the better offense, and that’s LSU. View Ryan’s full Clemson vs LSU betting preview here.
