A clear difference was seen in the Clemson Tigers rematch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the ACC championship game. Trevor Lawrence was sidelined for Notre Dame’s 47-40 upset win over Clemson on November 7. However, he was back in the lineup for the December 19 revenge match. Lawrence led the Tigers to a 34-10 win and payout. As a result, he re-emerged as a top-tier Heisman Trophy candidate. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes have had an undefeated but choppy season. Frequent pandemic breaks served to halt their momentum. And quarterback Justin Fields is coming off a subpar Big Ten championship game.
2021 All State Sugar Bowl
College Football Playoff Semifinal
Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Clemson Tigers
When: Friday, January 1, 2021, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: ESPN
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Ohio State Buckeyes +7.5
Clemson Tigers -7.5
Total: 66
Ohio State vs. Clemson BookMaker Wagering Analysis
The public betting sentiment is quickly turning against Ohio State. Their “win” over Northwestern was viewed by the gambling public as a failure. Meanwhile, Clemson’s devastating win over Notre Dame with Lawrence under center has swayed betting activity as well.
Choppy Season for Ohio State Raises Doubts
Despite the recent noise let’s not forget that the Ohio State Buckeyes are 6-0 straight up. The problem is that they are not providing any betting value at 3-3 against the spread. OSU is 3-2 over the total. Last time out for the Bucks was December 19 in a 22-10 win over the Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten championship game as 16.5-point chalk. OSU Quarterback Justin Fields was a pedestrian 12/27 for 114 yards and 2 interceptions. Instead, it was Trey Sermon that saved the day with a jaw-dropping 331 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Sermon set the school single-game rushing record in a performance for the ages. Ohio State ranks 8th in the nation for scoring offense and 24th for points allowed.
Despite the poor performance Fields still had a strong overall season. The junior finished with a 174.5 QB rating. 9.3 yards per pass and 15 touchdown passes.
Sermon and Master Teague each averaged over 5.0 yards per rush on the season. While Garrett Wilson led OSU receivers with 38 catches, 621 yards, 16.3 yards per catch, and 5 touchdowns.
The best defense to be made for Ohio State is that COVID-19 issues prevented them from the ability to generate momentum. The Buckeyes failed to get the money in three of their last four games.
Trevor Lawrence Makes for Golden Locks?
Clemson enters the College Football Playoff with a record of 10-1 straight up, 5-6 against the spread, and 6-5 over the total. Clemson ranks 4th in the nation for scoring offense and 11th for points allowed. Clemson got the money in their final three games of the season.
Lawrence posted a career-best 172.7 QB rating on the season with 9.6 yards per attempt and 22 touchdown passes. The junior is projected to be the number one overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Travis Etienne ran for 882 yards, 5.6 yards per rush, and 13 touchdowns. While Amari Rodgers hauled in 69 catches good for 966 yards, 14.0 yards per catch, and 7 touchdowns.
Head coach Dabo Swinney has taken some recent verbal shots at the Buckeyes. There is some true hatred between these teams generated from last year’s 29-23 Clemson win in the CFP semifinal. Ohio State believes they got jobbed by the refs. Clemson counters that Ohio State had numerous chances to kill them off and failed to apply the dagger.
Ohio State vs. Clemson BookMaker Free Pick
Clemson is in far better form and will boast the best player on the field. Ohio State’s weaknesses were exposed by Northwestern.
Ohio State vs. Clemson BookMaker Best Bet: Clemson Tigers
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