BETANYSPORTS BETTING PREVIEW- COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday’s results in the two College Football Playoff semifinal matchups have set the stage for this season’s championship game on Monday, Jan. 7. The ACC’s No. 2 Clemson Tigers will square off against the SEC’s No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in a scheduled 8 p.m. start on ESPN from Levi’s Stadium outside San Francisco.
This will be the third time in the last four seasons these two teams have faced each other with the national title on the line. The Tide drew first blood in 2015 with a wild 45-40 victory closing as 6.5-point favorites. The following season, Clemson turned the tables with a 35-31 upset as a 6.5-point underdog on BetAnySports’ closing line. The opening line for Monday’s rubber match has Alabama favored by six points this time around. The total went OVER in the first two meetings and it has been set at 59.5 points for Monday’s contest.
With Saturday’s 45-34 victory against No. 4 Oklahoma as 14.5-point favorites in this season’s Orange Bowl, the 14-0 Crimson Tide have failed to cover in three of their last four games. They have closed as double-digit favorites in all 14 games to go 8-6 ATS. The total stayed UNDER the closing 80.5-point line on Saturday night after going OVER in each of Alabama’s previous three games. The total has gone OVER OnlineSportsBet ’ closing line in nine of 14 games this season.
The cream definitely rose to the top this college football season with the two best teams in the nation facing each other in the championship game. The early betting consensus in this matchup has a slight lean towards Alabama at 54 percent and the early money coming in on the total line favors the OVER at 58 percent. If you are betting the moneyline in this game, you can get Clemson at +195 in a SU bet. The moneyline odds on the Tide have been set at -225.
