Clemson versus Alabama in the 2019 national championship game ushered in a new era. The Crimson Tide coming up short meant there are now two top dogs in the college football world. With two Heisman Trophy candidates leading the respective teams, Vegas oddsmakers have each team’s win total at 11.5. Today, we will look at the reasons you should bet the under for both teams, possibly securing you a big payday.

Alabama’s schedule

The toughest games for the Crimson Tide will be the matchups against LSU, Texas A&M, and Auburn. LSU is lacking on the offensive side, with quarterback Joe Burrows not being a major threat against Alabama’s secondary.

The thing that will keep LSU in the game is its aggressive defense, as head coach Ed Orgeron is one of the best recruiters in college football. With a hotbed of defensive talent, the Tigers can stay in the game for the first couple of quarters. It should be a close game heading into the fourth.

Jimbo Fisher had a pretty good season in his first year with Texas A&M. He signed a record-breaking, 10-year contract for $75 million. Fans of the team will expect them to compete for the SEC and national championship starting this season.

The biggest test for Alabama will be its annual rivalry game against Auburn, which has created some of college football’s most memorable moments. The SEC West is tough, and we think Auburn and LSU will both pull off upsets against the Alabama recruiting machine.

Players to watch on Alabama

The one player to watch on offense is last year’s Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa. He was the nation’s most efficient passer last season, throwing for 3,966 yards and 43 touchdown passes. The Crimson Tide will go as far as he takes them. We think it will be a great season for Alabama fans.

Although he doesn’t look like a key departure from the roster, Jalen Hurts will be missed as Tagovailoa’s backup this season. When you lose a former SEC Offensive Player of the Year, the talent at the quarterback position will see a significant drop-off.

Clemson schedule

The biggest games on Clemson‘s schedule include a road trip to the Carrier Dome and another to Raleigh to face the NC State Wolfpack. Syracuse was close to an upset last season with Trevor Lawrence injured early. But Travis Etienne scored three touchdowns to lead them to victory.

NC State almost stole a win two seasons ago, but a missed field goal helped Clemson get the win. We don’t expect the Tigers to go 12-0 heading into the conference championship weekend — we are calling for the Orange to pull off the upset early — but Clemson’s championship hopes will still be alive.

Players to watch for Clemson

Lawrence delivered Clemson its second national championship in four seasons. The freshman phenom took care of business against Alabama in the National Championship game and did not look phased going up against a team riddled with NFL talent. With another offseason under his belt, we expect Lawrence to be a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy at the start of the season.

Clelin Ferrell will be a huge loss on Clemson’s front four, but we think Xavier Thomas will replace the former All-American’s stats. Thomas was the nation’s No.1 recruit last season. He’ll likely be a starter when the season opens against Georgia Tech. We expect double digit sacks from the sophomore phenom.

How are you betting?

Will you go with either team to win less than 12 games? We think both teams will lose at least one game as they make a run for the national championship.