In a tussle between Tigers from the ACC and SEC offensive-minded Clemson meets defensive-minded LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl New Year's Eve at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (7:30 pm ET, ESPN).
The early Chick-fil-A Bowl betting odds showed 10-2 LSU, which went 6-2 in SEC play this season, favored by 3.5 points over Clemson, which went 7-1 in the ACC.
LSU is 5-1-1 ATS in its past 7 bowl games, where as Clemson has been a big loser, going 1-7 ATS in eight bowls. [ More Chick Fil A Bowl betting stats and trends, click here ]
View Clemson vs LSU Odds and Stats.
Betting Line: Bettors going with the Tigers in this game found them listed as 3-point favorites on the betting line at Sportsbook earlier in the week. The total was 58.5 in early betting at Sportsbook.
Clemson Bowl History
| Year | Bowl | Team1 | Score | Team2 | Score | Team2Line | ATS win |
| 1995 | Gator Bowl | Syracuse | 41 | Clemson | 0 | -2 | SYRACU |
| 1996 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Clemson | 7 | LSU | 10 | -6.5 | CLEM |
| 1997 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Clemson | 17 | Auburn | 21 | -6 | CLEM |
| 1999 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Clemson | 7 | Mississippi State | 17 | -2.5 | MIS.ST |
| 2000 | Gator Bowl | Clemson | 20 | Virginia Tech | 41 | -6.5 | VTECH |
| 2001 | Humanitarian Bowl | Clemson | 49 | Louisiana Tech | 24 | 6.5 | CLEM |
| 2002 | Tangerine Bowl | Texas Tech | 55 | Clemson | 15 | 4.5 | TXTECH |
| 2003 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Tennessee | 14 | Clemson | 27 | 5 | CLEM |
| 2005 | Champs Sports Bowl | Colorado | 10 | Clemson | 19 | -10 | COLO |
| 2006 | Music City Bowl | Kentucky | 28 | Clemson | 20 | -11 | KENTUC |
| 2007 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Auburn | 23 | Clemson | 20 | -2 | AUBRN |
| 2008 | Gator Bowl | Clemson | 21 | Nebraska | 26 | -1 | NEBR |
| 2009 | Music City Bowl | Kentucky | 13 | Clemson | 21 | -6.5 | CLEM |
| 2010 | Meineke Car Care Bowl | South Florida | 31 | Clemson | 26 | -5.5 | S.FLA |
| 2011 | Orange Bowl | West Virginia | 70 | Clemson | 33 | -3 | WESTV |
LSU Bowl History
| Year | Bowl | Team1 | Score | Team2 | Score | Team2Line | ATS win |
| 1995 | Independence Bowl | Michigan State | 26 | LSU | 45 | -6 | LSU |
| 1996 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | Clemson | 7 | LSU | 10 | -6.5 | CLEM |
| 1997 | Independence Bowl | Notre Dame | 9 | LSU | 27 | -7 | LSU |
| 2000 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | LSU | 28 | Georgia Tech | 14 | -8.5 | LSU |
| 2001 | Sugar Bowl | Illinois | 34 | LSU | 47 | -2 | LSU |
| 2002 | Cotton Bowl | LSU | 20 | Texas | 35 | -10.5 | TEXAS |
| 2003 | Sugar Bowl | Oklahoma | 14 | LSU | 21 | 6 | LSU |
| 2004 | Capital One Bowl | Iowa | 30 | LSU | 25 | -6 | IOWA |
| 2005 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | LSU | 40 | Miami | 3 | -6 | LSU |
| 2006 | Sugar Bowl | Notre Dame | 14 | LSU | 41 | -8.5 | LSU |
| 2007 | BCS Championship Game | Ohio State | 24 | LSU | 38 | -4 | LSU |
| 2008 | Chick-Fil-A Bowl | LSU | 38 | Georgia Tech | 3 | -4 | LSU |
| 2009 | Capital One Bowl | LSU | 17 | Penn State | 19 | -2 | Push |
| 2010 | Cotton Bowl | Texas A&M | 24 | LSU | 41 | -1.5 | LSU |
| 2011 | BCS Championship Game | Alabama | 21 | LSU | 0 | 2.5 | ALAB |
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up LSU's No. 56-ranked offense (30.2 PPG) against a Tigers defense that ranks No. 47 at 24.9 PPG. The Tigers passing attack has averaged 207.2 yards per game, less than the Tigers give up through the air (250.3 YPG on average).
In comparing defenses, the Tigers own the league's No. 24-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 130.8 yards per game when on the road. LSU, on the other hand, rates No. 34 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
Last time out for Clemson, they were a 27-17 loser as they battled South Carolina at home. Clemson failed to cover in the match as a 6.5-point favorite, while 44 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors. In their last game, the Tigers were Week 13 losers coming out on the wrong end of 27-17 score against South Carolina.
LSU won its last outing, a 20-13 result against Arkansas on November 23. LSU failed to cover in that game as a 11.5-point favorite, while the 33 combined points took the game UNDER the total. Odell Beckham hauled in 4 passes for 112 yards against the Arkansas defense in the team's last game, leading LSU over the Razorbacks 20-13 on Friday.
Clemson Tigers Trends:
When playing in December are 5-5
When playing on turf are 6-4
After being outgained are 6-4
When an underdog on the road are 3-7
LSU Tigers Trends:
When playing in December are 9-1
When playing on turf are 7-3
After being outgained are 8-2
When favored at home are 10-0
A few Tigers at Tigers trends to consider:
Clemson is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Clemson's last 6 games
LSU is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games
LSU is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
