2019-20 NCAA Championship

(3) Clemson - (1) LSU (-6) (o/u 70)

LSU was the best team I saw all year long. Ohio State was second but Clemson beat them and I wasn't shocked by that because Clemson is always hard to figure (though it just dawned on me today that their QB, Trevor Lawrence, is so far still undefeated as a college QB, with one more full season to play). The way Clemson dusted off Alabama last year was eye-opening, which is why I refuse to overlook them this time around. But I saw LSU a lot this season and they looked confidently dominant against everyone they played and their QB, Joe Burrow, is a machine back there, a guy who seemingly knows every play before it happens. The only Clemson game I paid much attention to was their hamfisted lucky W against North Carolina (who was okay this year but nothing special), though to their credit they played like a team that glimpsed their own mortality for the rest of the season. Should be a good game.

I think LSU is going to score a lot. Clemson's D certainly doesn't suck but LSU moved the ball on Alabama and Auburn and Georgia with ease and I expect they'll do the same to Clemson. I'd be surprised if they scored less than 30 points. Clemson's offense is very good, too, and I expect them to move the ball, but I don't think they played a defense as good as LSU's until they ran into Ohio State in the semifinal; they struggled against the Buckeyes until the 4th quarter when they finally got a sense of urgency and pulled out all the stops and rode it to a victory. LSU's defense is not as great as usual, but then again they traditionally haven't had big leads by halftime before either, so I'm willing to chalk up a lot of garbage time/prevent play that gives up yards and even points. Clemson cannot afford to wait til the 4th quarter to wake up tonight, though I wouldn't be surprised if that offense cranks up late regardless of the circumstances.

The next two #1 picks (Joe Burrow, 2020; Trevor Lawrence, 2021) will be in display and that is a good thing. This is the game we've been waiting for all year long (with apologies to the Buckeyes) and I'm looking forward to it--the kinda game that makes me wish I had cable!

I think the halftime score will be something like LSU 30-17. From there I would expect Clemson to charge furiously in the 2nd half, but come up short. I'll say LSU 54-45 (LSU and the over--waaaaay over).