Soak it all in tonight. It’s the last college football game for nearly eight months, and it is building up to be a doozy.
This is college football at its pinnacle. What could be more fitting than LSU playing in front of its home crowd in New Orleans? Furthermore, Louisiana’s homegrown hero, Ed Orgeron, is leading the charge. Mr. Ohio, Joe Burrow, forced to leave the state he loves to find a new home. Now, he is Joe Burreaux. In many ways, LSU is a band of misfits turned loose on the big stage, living a dream. Ed Orgeron and Joe Burreaux were vagabonds. Now, it couldn’t be more right.
In The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent said you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Clemson’s dynasty has lived long enough to become the villain. Outside of Alabama borders, it was easy for the rest of the country to root for Clemson against the Crimson Tide. They were new. They were fun. Now, they are the establishment.
Here we are at the endgame.
Series History
LSU leads 2-1. Clemson won the last meeting 25-24 in the 2012 Peach Bowl.
How to Watch
7 p.m. CT on ESPN
Spread
LSU -5.5
RadioAlabama Sports Expert Analysis
Noah Gardner
Only one team showed the ability to stop LSU this year, and they aren’t playing in tonight’s game. Ohio State’s 516 yards of total offense doesn’t give me the confidence in Clemson’s defense to come up with the stops necessary to win this game. LSU won’t turn the ball over twice like the Buckeyes did either. LSU might start the game slow because of first-time national championship jitters and Dabo Swinney and Clemson’s national championship experience will keep the game close, but LSU’s offense can’t be stopped. LSU wins 34-26.
Jeremy Law
With a win, the LSU Tigers could go down as the greatest team of all-time. The Tiguhs played a daunting schedule and dominated nearly every opponent. Joe Burrow was a gift from God to an average head coach in Ed O, and he needs to take advantage of this opportunity.
The other Tigers, the Little Ol’ Dabo Tigers from South Carolina who “No one is giving a chance”, have somehow found a way to play the underdog role while winning 29 consecutive games and boasting the title of defending national champions. So far, it has worked for the Little Ol’ Tigers from Little Ol’ Clemson.
The college football world needs LSU to win. From a sheer fan perspective, dynasties are bad. While Alabama’s dynasty still loosely exists, Clemson could plant its flag at the top of the mountain as the reigning king of college football.
It’s too bad for Clemson that LSU is far and away the best team. The better coach, Dabo, will keep his team in it, but this is LSU’s year. Take Burrow and Brady over Dabo and Lawrence. LSU 37, Poor Pitiful Clemson 31.
