The second-ranked Clemson Tigers (10-1) and No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) hook up in the Sugar Bowl for a College Football Playoff semifinal Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET in New Orleans. Below, we analyze Clemson-Ohio State college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Rankings courtesy of the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Clemson vs. Ohio State: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:20 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Clemson -300 (bet $300 to win $100) | Ohio State +240 (bet $100 to win $240)
- Against the spread/ATS: Clemson -7.5 (-105) | Ohio State +7.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 66.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Clemson vs. Ohio State: Three things to know
- Clemson will make its sixth consecutive College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance, only failing to make it in the inaugural season of 2014-15. The Tigers, 6-3 in CFP games, have played for the title four times and won it twice (2015-16 season and 2017-18). This season the Tigers had one slip up, a 47-40, double-overtime loss at Notre Dame Nov. 7, but QB Trevor Lawrence didn’t play due to a positive COVID-19 test. He returned to lead the Tigers to three consecutive wins, including a 34-10 victory against the Irish in the ACC Championship Game Dec. 19. Lawrence threw for 322 passing yards with 2 touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards and a score as the Tigers avenged the November loss. For the season, Lawrence threw for 2,753 yards with 22 TDs and ran for 211 yards with 7 TDs. RB Travis Etienne rushed for 882 yards with 13 TDs, and WR Amari Rodgers finished with 966 receiving yards and 7 TDs.
- Ohio State is making its fourth CFP appearance. The Buckeyes won the inaugural event, but are 0-2 since then, losing to Clemson twice in Fiesta Bowl semifinal games (2017 and 2020). This season’s Buckeyes played just 6 games due to COVID-19 issues, which have some questioning if they deserve to even be here. OSU is coming off a 22-10 victory over Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game (Dec. 19) as RB Trey Sermon ran for a school-record 331 yards and 2 TDs. Sermon only had 344 rushing yards and 1 TD in the previous five games. QB Justin Fields enters with 1,521 passing yards and 15 TDs while running for 274 yards and 5 scores. His top targets are WR Garrett Wilson (621 receiving yards, 5 TDs) and WR Chris Olave (528 receiving yards, 5 TDs), who returns after missing the Big Ten title game due to COVID-19.
- Clemson leads the all-time series vs. Ohio State 4-0 – all being bowl games, including 2 CFP semifinal matchups. In last year’s Fiesta Bowl semifinal, Clemson rallied for a 29-23 victory. Lawrence threw for 259 yards with 2 TDs, ran for 107 yards with a score and steered a 4-play, game-winning drive that started at the Clemson 6-yard line with 2:55 to go. Fields finished with 320 passing yards and a TD but was picked off twice – the second being the nail in the coffin when, from the Clemson 23-yard line, he was intercepted in the end zone with 37 seconds left.
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Clemson vs. Ohio State: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Ohio State 37, Clemson 35
Money line (ML)
OHIO STATE (+240) has all the motivation fodder a coach could ask for. Last year’s loss after leading 16-0 and 23-21; the 31-0 semifinal drubbing by Clemson four years ago; Tigers coach Dabo Swinney ranking the Buckeyes 11th and saying they don’t belong here because they didn’t play enough regular-season games; the 0-4 all-time record vs. the Tigers; and being listed as a 7.5-point underdog.
Against the spread (ATS)
OHIO STATE +7.5 (-115) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager. A major reason I could see Clemson winning is the Lawrence factor. All he does is win – he’s 34-1 as a starter. Though his counterpart Fields is 19-1 as a starter. It’s the BUCKEYES’ turn to beat the Tigers.
A final suggestion: BET 1½ TIMES YOUR USUAL WAGER between the 2 plays, money line and spread. You can split ’em any way you like or put it all on one, but I’d definitely sprinkle a little on the +7.5 spread for insurance.
ATS records: Clemson 5-6 | Ohio State 3-3
Over/Under (O/U)
Back the OVER 66.5 (-115). Both teams have explosive offenses. Clemson averages 44.9 points per game, ranking 4th in the country. Ohio State scores at a 42.5 PPG clip to rank 8th.
O/U records: Clemson 6-5 | Ohio State 3-2-1
For fun: Bet a friend how many times the network shows Ohio State legendary coach Woody Hayes punching Clemson’s Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl. I’d take the OVER 2.5 times.
Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
| Johnny’s 2020 CFB record / Strongest plays | 17-16 / 9-6 |
| 2020 overall record (all sports) | 177-146-4 |
| Strongest plays (all sports) | 87-60-1 |
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