MetroBet previews the two National Championship semi-final games set to go off on Saturday afternoon.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Clemson Tigers (-12.5)
Moneyline: Fighting Irish +360, Tigers -450
Betting Total: 55.5 points
Time (Eastern), TV: 4 p.m., ESPN
The 2018 Cotton Bowl features the first of two play-in games for the National Championship. Second-ranked Clemson is a significant favorite over third-ranked Notre Dame, and they should make good on this big line.
Both the Tigers and the Irish had to iron out some wrinkles on offense early in the season, but once the respective quarterbacks settled in, they were good to go. Freshman Taylor Lawrence completes 65 percent of his throws for Clemson, averaging eight yards per attempt, and is extremely careful with the football, boasting a 24-4 TD-INT ratio. He is set up for success by stellar running back Travis Etienne, who averages 8.3 yards per carry on 176 attempts. He also has 21 TDs on the campaign. Notre Dame brings the weaker defense into this matchup, as they’re 22nd in yards per game allowed. So the Tigers should be able to move the chains early and often in this one.
As for the Ian Book and the Irish offense, they will be tested like never before by the Tigers’ second-ranked defense in the country (first in yards per play). Dexter Williams should grab some first downs for Notre Dame, but he is no Etienne out of the backfield.
Clemson has the upper hand in too many areas to think that this matchup will be particularly close. Lay the points with Dabo Swinney’s gang.
Prediction: Tigers win, 34-17
The play: Tigers -12.5
Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (-14)
Moneyline: Sooners +450, Crimson Tide -620
Betting Total: 77 points
Time (Eastern), TV: 8 p.m., ESPN
The Orange Bowl, the second of two National Championship play-in games on Saturday, could be even uglier than its predecessor, as the Oklahoma Sooners do battle with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, the 2018 Heisman winner, may be healthier than Tua Tagovailoa (ankle) on Saturday, but he draws the tougher matchup by far. The Crimson Tide has the fourth-ranked defense in the nation by points per game, and they allow the 10th-fewest yards per contest. By contrast, the Sooners’ stoppers were torched on a regular basis this season, surrendering 32.4 points per game, just 96th in the country.
Tagovailoa doesn’t need to put his team on his back; expect the Harrises, Damien and Najee, to run the rock down the throat of Oklahoma and set up the passing attack that way. This game should be out of hand by the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Crimson Tide wins, 42-24
The play: Crimson Tide -14
