LSU will finally get its chance to complete its miraculous udnefeated season when it takes on Clemson Monday night in the National Championship Game at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.
The Tigers are 5.5 point favorites coming into the contest, due to the unstoppable tear its offense has maintained throughout the 2020 season. Here are six reasons we see LSU wrapping up its season with the National Championship Trophy after a 44-31 victory over Clemson.
Joe Burrow:
Say less, as the kids say. If you need more, we can tell you more as well
Burrow has completed at least 71.1% of his passes in every game this season. The senior quarterback has been unflappable in big game moments, so why would anyone believe that the show will end with anything short of another miraculous performance?
In Burrow's last four games against Arkansas, Texas A&M, Georgia and Oklahoma, he has thrown for a total of 1,521 yards (380.25 per game), 17 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. If you want to look at the just games against the better defenses LSU has faced this year (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia), Burrow accumulated 1,356 yards (329 per game) in the air, 11 passing touchdowns and 1 interception. Burrow also accumulated 179 yards on the ground in those four contest.
Burrow has been stellar in every outing this fall. On the few occasions that teams are able to take away his options in the passing game, Burrow is able to extend plays, which often lead to spectacular events that only add to the lore. We expect to see much of the same on Monday night.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire:
Okay, this isn't supposed to be a player themed piece, but these two guys have routinely beaten everything defenses have thrown at them this year. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been magnificent this season, catapulting himself into the conversation as one of the nation's elite running backs.
Clemson will be challenged to contain Edwards-Helaire in space, with a linebacker corps that is more sound and stout than they are athletic and agile. Every opponent has struggled corralling Edwards-Helaire in space and we see the same issues plaguing the Clemson defense that has plagued many of the others the Tigers have trounced this year. Expect CEH to have a big night.
The LSU secondary is ready for this challenge:
LSU has its hands full with the Clemson passing game, but the secondary is littered with proven performers that should be up for the challenge. Clemson may lack the assortment of weapons needed to consistently threaten the LSU secondary, which will be needed to keep pace with the LSU offense.
Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross are impact players on the outside, but there is a big drop-off from there. Trevor Lawrence could be faced with a situation where he has to consistently force tight throws, giving the savvy, skilled LSU secondary some opportunities to make plays on the ball. Football is a game of matchups and we believe the LSU secondary matches up very well in this game.
Let me tell you about this guy Brady:
Joe Brady has become one of the hottest names in coaching, both on the college and NFL levels. The architect of LSU's offense flipped the entire script upside down and had it buzzing at mach speed just moments after the initial takeoff and has yet to slow down. Defenses have thrown everything at LSU's offense, both conventional and schoolyard stuff, but none of it has worked well enough to keep them under 500 yards in a contest.
Steve Ensminger is also playing a huge role, as he deserves a lot of credit as the main play caller, but this is Brady's system and he is the eyes that lead to many of those decisions, and Ensminger is okay with that. And, why wouldn't he be? We are witnessing something spectacular.
LSU will win in the trenches:
Ed Orgeron didn't hold back when he said that the Tigers need to get better in the trenches if they wanted to compete for national titles. Well, they are competing for championship and a lot of it has to do with the Tigers much improved play where so many games are decided--at the line of scrimmage.
LSU's offensive line has been much improved, allowing Joe Burrow the time he needs to go through his progressions and exploit matchups and coverages. They have also been much better run blocking, adapting to a mixture of zone running schemes.
The defensive line has been stout for most of the year, which will play a huge role in neutralizing electric Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
It's in the Supderdeauxme, duh:
This will feel like a home game for LSU in many regards, because it essentially is. Yes, Clemson has played for national championships, but they have not played an extremely good LSU team in the Superdeauxme. The place will be buzzing from start to finish, as will the crowd, who are likely to be rather buzzed, if you catch our drift, which should make for one rowdy evening.
It is starting to feel like this LSU is destined to win this game and complete the miraculous season. The fact that this game takes place in New Orleans, at the Superdeauxme, is just about the only way this story can end, right?
