Second-ranked Clemson is being backed by the overwhelming amount of betting action despite entering Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal as more than a touchdown favorite over No. 3 Ohio State.
The Tigers are 7.5-point favorites, with 66 percent of the bets at DraftKings and 76 percent at FanDuel backing Clemson. The action is even more skewed on the moneyline, with Clemson backed by 76 percent of the bets at DraftKings (-295) and 79 percent at FanDuel (-280).
The Sugar Bowl will be a rematch between Clemson (10-1) and Ohio State (6-0), which suffered a 29-23 loss to the Tigers in last year’s CFP semifinals.
“If we’re playing Ohio State, it’s a playoff,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Or it was a BCS bowl, back in 2013 in the Orange Bowl. We don’t have them on our regular schedule anytime in the near future, so you know it is a big, big postseason game when you play those guys.”
Plenty of offensive fireworks are expected in Friday’s second semifinal, with both sportsbooks setting the Over/Under at 66.5 points. The Over is being backed by 82 percent of the bets and 64 percent of the handle at DraftKings and 81 and 85 percent, respectfully, at FanDuel.
The No. 3 Buckeyes will try to establish the run using Trey Sermon, who gained a school and FBS conference championship game-record 331 yards during a 22-10 win over Northwestern in the Big Ten title game.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 90 yards and a score to down the Fighting Irish 34-10 to win the ACC championship Saturday.
He got support from running back Travis Etienne (124 yards and a TD on 10 carries).
Those two were lethal vs. the Buckeyes last season. Lawrence had 259 passing yards and a touchdown, plus 107 yards and a score on the ground while Etienne had 134 all-purpose yards and three TDs.
“I think (Lawrence) and Etienne are two of the most dynamic players in college football, and probably in the history of college football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.
