The four-team College Football Playoff field was announced on Sunday, and it was a bit anti-climatic. No. 1 Alabama will face No. 4 Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl in Arlington, Texas, and No. 2 Clemson will square off with No. 3 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a rematch of last season's semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl.
Betting is open for the two showdowns on New Year's Day, and William Hill Sportsbook has already come out with its odds. Let's take a look at what folks out in Las Vegas think.
College Football Playoff odds
No. 1 Alabama (-17.5) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
No. 2 Clemson (-6.5) vs. No. 3 Ohio State
The first thing that jumps out is that Rose Bowl line. The Fighting Irish are getting no respect following their 34-10 blowout at the hands of Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. They managed just 263 yards, went 3-for-12 on third down and managed just 4.5 yards per play against a Tigers defense that has had its issues at times this year -- especially in the secondary.
That Irish team will likely be charged with going point-for-point against an Alabama team that has been cranked up all year with no signs of slowing down. The Crimson Tide just claimed the SEC title with a 52-46 win over Florida and haven't scored fewer than 40 points since they scored 38 in the opener vs. Missouri.
The Sugar Bowl line is interesting. Ohio State didn't exactly look like a world-beater in winning the Big Ten title over Northwestern. The play-calling was curious to say the least and quarterback Justin Fields had one of his worst days as a starter. That doesn't bode well against a Clemson team that just cruised on offense against a good Notre Dame defense. The running game got cranked up again with Travis Etienne and quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Tigers found confidence after their devastating loss to Notre Dame in double overtime in November.
Is Clemson one touchdown better than Ohio State? The Buckeyes have only played six games, so it's hard to tell. We'll find out on New Year's Day.
