Clemson-Notre Dame Betting Odds: Opening Line for 2018 College Football Playoff

Clemson-Notre Dame Odds

• Betting Line: Clemson -10.5
• Over/Under: 56.5
• Date: Dec. 29
• Time: 4 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

Clemson and Notre Dame both finished the season undefeated and will meet in the semifinals of the 2018 College Football Playoff, which begins on Dec. 29.

The Tigers would be favored on a neutral field over anyone in the country but Alabama, according to our power ratings.

Clemson-Notre Dame Betting Odds

Clemson opened as a 11.5-point favorite at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, but was quickly bet down to 10.5 across the market.

Strangely enough, Clemson has never been a favorite in any of its previous five College Football Playoff games.

There have been just two double-digit favorites in College Football Playoff history — Alabama -10 vs. Michigan State in 2015 and Alabama -15.5 vs. Washington in 2016.

How Clemson Reached the College Football Playoff

Clemson really found its stride in the second half of the season, winning its last eight games by at least 20 points.

In the early going, things weren't perfect. The Tigers needed some help to survive at Texas A&M, and barely hung on at home against Syracuse when quarterback Trevor Lawrence went down with an injury in the first half.

Clemson has a dominant defensive line, but the secondary will likely be tested more than it has at any point this season in the College Football Playoff.

How Notre Dame Reached the College Football Playoff

There was little doubt regarding what Notre Dame needed to do to reach the CFP … win out. Easier said than done, sure, but the Irish pulled it off.

ND's schedule looked a lot more daunting before the season, but teams like Florida State, Virginia Tech and USC, especially, fell well short of expectations. The Irish's best wins were at home against Stanford and Michigan.