By: Nick LaPorte, 1/13/2020
If you’re like me, you really like watching the NFL but just don’t feel the same excitement week to week in college football. Sure, there are some great games in the season; this year’s Alabama vs. LSU game was great, and the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn felt as competitive as your high-profile NFL matchups. SEC football is generally considered the most competitor, and the Big 10 conference also boasts legitimately great teams. I’ll admit I’m still getting the hang of all the mechanics of college football but to my understanding LSU played a hard schedule (and is undefeated) and Clemson played a soft schedule (and is undefeated).
Now, the fact of the matter is I, like a lot of casual (and I mean casual) college football fans will absolutely tune in to see who wins on Monday in the championship game. LSU is a 6-point favorite over Clemson, and the game is being played in Louisiana in the Superdome. Clemson is the reigning national champions, with sophomore QB Trevor Lawrence undefeated in 2 seasons. LSU, a historically great team but not as much lately, is rejuvenated by hometown coach Ed Orgeron and the presumptive #1 pick in the draft, Heisman-winner QB Joe Burrow.
There’s a lot to like in this matchup, and there’s a lot of future NFL players that will take the field and battle for the college football crown. Like Burrow, Clemson’s Lawrence is expected to be a top pick either next year or the following year, and I think it’s fair to say the two best QBs in the entirety of college football are squaring off to determine a champion. Burrow is headed most likely to Cincinnati after this game to begin his career in the NFL, while Lawrence will have at least one more crack at a championship before heading to the NFL. Let’s take a look at the relevant players and stories to watch for on Monday as LSU and Clemson battle for the top spot.
1. Joe Burrow, QB LSU
Setting records left and right has become a habit for Burrow this year, who accounted for 7 TDs in a blowout win in the semifinals against Oklahoma. Burrow is a late bloomer; in fact (you probably know already) he’s older than the likely NFL MVP this year Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. That’s not a knock on Burrow; you can’t choose your age. But part of the reason he looks so polished is because… well he is. It may be Burrow’s first season as a superstar in college but he’s been honing his craft for years now. Clemson will pose a bigger threat than Oklahoma, and Clemson’s defense regularly boasts first-round NFL draft picks that they can throw at Burrow.
College passing numbers are inflated across the board these days in an era of offensive revolution, so believe me when I tell you Burrow’s been this impressive; his 5,200 yards and 55 TD passes are like what Patrick Mahomes did in the NFL last year. Yes, there have been some special seasons in recent history, but Burrow, like Mahomes, has transcended that with his reliable greatness. Burrow draws a lot of comparisons to Drew Brees and Tom Brady, two of the NFL’s all time greats. Burrow has that ability to read a defense and deliver precise throws in right windows accurately, and like Brees and Brady he has shined in big games. In order to become the #1 team in the nation, Burrow beat #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, #4 Georgia in the SEC Championship game, and #4 Oklahoma in the semifinals. His resume is stacked, and a national championship would put a bow on a stellar season before hitching his wagon to Zac Taylor and the Bengals.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB
Like Burrow, Clemson has an elite QB that could very well be a #1 pick. Teams are already dreaming of the thought of drafting Lawrence next year if he goes pro, and I see no reason why he wouldn’t. Lawrence is undefeated in college and showcased his NFL-caliber skills in the semi finals in a close win against #2 OSU. Trailing by two scores early and after taking a tough hit, Lawrence engineered enough offense to beat OSU, who many thought was deserving of the #1 spot prior to the playoffs. Lawrence is not phased by the moment, and after Monday he may be a 2-time champion before he turns 21. Burrow is rightfully going #1 this year in the NFL draft but if Lawrence was draft-eligible I would think long and hard about taking Clemson’s superstar QB over Burrow. Lawrence already has the pedigree of a future superstar and he can’t even legally buy a beer.
While I threw a Brees/Brady comparison at Burrow, I think a better one for Lawrence would be Aaron Rodgers. Both are gunslingers, but are careful with the football. Rodgers made a career out of his ability to create something from nothing. Lawrence showcases that ability in every game, notably his long TD scramble against OSU to score Clemson’s first points. Lawrence isn’t a runner like Lamar Jackson or even Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. Long-term he profiles closer to guys like Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes in the best case scenario. I would keep a close eye on him as an NFL fan because whatever team is unlucky enough to land 2021’s top pick will be lucky enough to take Clemson’s star QB.
3. Tee Higgins, Clemson WR
This is an abnormally stacked WR draft class, and Higgins could join Alabama WRs Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs as potential 1st-round picks. At 6-3 and weighing 205 pounds, Higgins isn’t far off physically from one of the NFL’s best receivers Julio Jones, who is the same height and slightly heavier. Higgins may profile further back in the draft than the 2 Alabama wideouts and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, but he has the potential to be a game-changer for a WR-needy team. While Lamb is expected to fall no further than 8th to the Cardinals (there is an Oklahoma connection with Kyler Murray that can’t be denied), Higgins could fit on teams like the Jaguars, Jets, Raiders, Colts, or even the Eagles/Patriots if he slips to the back half of the 1st round.
It seems like fewer teams had that true #1 WR this year. Jones in Atlanta, Michael Thomas in New Orleans, and Davante Adams in Green Bay stand out as legitimate “cant guard me” kind of WRs, and there are plenty of younger WRs like Chris Godwin (Tampa), Courtland Sutton (Denver), and AJ Brown (Tennessee) to name a few that look like future stars. Higgins could join that group of younger WRs if he lands in the right spot. He’s had a strong connection with Trevor Lawrence and he has that jump-ball capability that teams love. I expect the Patriots especially to scout him in this game, because assuming they keep Tom Brady they need to find a true receiving threat. Higgins may end up the 4th WR off the board in April but he has a chance to be the best of the bunch.
4. LSU’s Defense
There are 3 potential first-rounders on LSU’s defense according to the Athletic’s Dane Brugler, chief among them 2 of their defensive backs; CB Kristian Fulton and S Grant Delpit. LSU might not have the defense of years past that could keep even great offenses to <20 points, but it’s a group that’s playing great football late in the year en route to a potential undefeated season. The other one to watch from LSU is K’lavon Chiasson, a pass-rusher that may be a difference-maker tonight. Chiasson is on the smaller side for an edge rusher but he has instincts off the snap that few can match. As much as Burrow has been touted as the one who can win the championship for LSU, I think their defense may be the ones who decide this game.
5. Dabo vs. Ed
The coaching matchup is as electrifying as we can ask for short of Nick Saban or angry Jim Harbaugh entering the ring. Dabo Swinney, the sometimes endearing sometimes (most times) annoying Clemson coach is in the midst of a potential dynasty, and another championship would secure his place among the all-time greats. Ed Orgeron, the LSU hometown coach, doesn’t have quite the same resume but it seems like he has the team playing such good football it’s hard to deny his impact when considering this run that LSU’s on. Ed is from Louisiana and this game is being played in Louisiana, with his Louisiana state team basically playing a home game. Clemson is no stranger to shutting up a crowd with a win; they literally haven’t lost in 2 years. But if Big Ed can motivate his guys to play the way they’ve played for 2.5 months now, it may finally be time for Dabo Swinney to wear a loss on his record.
There’s a lot to like about this game, from a matchup standpoint and a NFL fan’s standpoint. Also it seems to me the 2 best QBs in the nation are in this game, and with how football is played in 2020 and beyond, that’s the way it should be. No more Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady not sniffing a playoff spot in college. The best QBs find a way to win often, and Burrow and Lawrence are both sitting on undefeated seasons. One of them will take a loss for the first time in a long time. Will it be Lawrence, who’s never lost in college, failing to match the championship from his freshman season? Or will it be Burrow, coming up just short of a perfect storybook final season?
Find out tonight at 8PM EST on ESPN.
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