The Clemson Tigers aim for their second straight national championship when they take on the LSU Tigers in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The ACC-champion Tigers (14-0) seek their third national title in the past five seasons, while a win would also give them back-to-back undefeated campaigns. They are tied with Alabama with four College Football Playoff appearances.

On the opposite sideline, LSU (14-0) leads the country in scoring and has produced 50 points six times this season. The top-seeded Tigers are in search of their first national title since 2007. LSU is a 5.5-point favorite and the over-under for total points scored is 68 in the latest Clemson vs. LSU odds after opening at 69. Before making any LSU vs. Clemson picks and 2020 National Championship predictions of your own, make sure you hear what SportsLine expert Emory Hunt has to say.

Hunt is enjoying an incomparable 2019 college football season for SportsLine members. He has posted a record of 107-69 on his college football against-the-spread picks, returning a whopping $3,178 to $100 bettors. A former Division I running back, he knows the game from a playing and coaching perspective. Hunt founded Football Gameplan in 2007 and has been producing high-level analysis ever since. 

SportsLine's top college football analyst also has had a keen sense for the trajectories of these programs, posting a 10-5 record on college football picks against-the-spread in games involving Clemson or LSU over the past two seasons. Anyone who has followed him is way up. 

Now, Hunt has zeroed in on the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship from every angle and released another confident point-spread selection that he's sharing over at SportsLine. Go see the pick now. Here are the college football lines and trends for Clemson vs. LSU:

  • College Football Playoff National Championship spread: LSU -5.5
  • College Football Playoff National Championship over-under: 68.5 points
  • College Football Playoff National Championship money line: LSU -217, Clemson +178
  • CLEM: Tigers have covered the spread in 10 of their last 11 postseason games.
  • LSU: Tigers have covered the spread in four consecutive neutral-site games.

Why LSU can cover the spread

Versatile running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was listed as doubtful for the Peach Bowl because of a hamstring injury suffered in practice. His appearance in the game caught many observers by surprise, but his contribution was more of a morale boost. He had just two carries for 14 yards in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

However, LSU coach Ed Orgeron told the media he expects the running back to be at full strength for Monday's championship game. Edwards-Helaire has rushed for 1,304 yards and an SEC-best 16 touchdowns. In his absence, the Tigers showed depth in the backfield as they piled up 160 yards on 32 carries with two scores against the Sooners. Chris Curry led the way with 16 carries for 90 yards.

Why Clemson can cover the spread 

Even so, the top-seeded Tigers are far from assured of covering the LSU vs. Clemson spread in the College Football Playoff National Championship 2020. The ACC Tigers have beaten Alabama in two of the past three national title games and currently hold an FBS-best winning streak of 29 games. 

They overcame a 16-0 deficit against Ohio State behind a sterling defensive effort in the second half and a game-changing performance by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who shined in last year's National Championship as a true freshman. 

Lawrence led a 94-yard scoring drive, hitting Travis Etienne with a 34-yard pass for the lead with 1:49 left. Nolan Turner stopped Ohio State's last drive with an end zone interception with 37 seconds remaining.

How to make Clemson vs. LSU picks 

We can tell you Hunt is leaning over the total, but his much stronger play is on the spread. He's found a critical x-factor that makes one side of the spread hit hard. He's sharing what it is, and who to back, only at SportsLine. 

Who wins LSU vs. Clemson in the College Football National Championship 2020? And what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Clemson vs. LSU spread you should be all over, all from the football expert who's 10-5 on picks involving these teams.