If Las Vegas is any indicator, the College Football Playoff semifinals might not be the most exciting we’ve ever seen.
After the pairings for the semifinals were announced on Sunday, betting odds were quick to follow. The initial spreads show Clemson favored by 11.5 against Notre Dame, while Alabama is a full two-touchdown favorite over Oklahoma.
Pointspreads for @CFBPlayoff semifinals via @SuperBookUSA:
Alabama -14 Oklahoma
Clemson -11.5 Notre Dame— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 2, 2018
Those odds are reflective of a general consensus that rates the Crimson Tide and Tigers to be well ahead of every other team in the country. It is, perhaps, a touch surprising to see 12-0 Notre Dame as such a heavy underdog, but the bookies like Clemson and may be a touch skeptical of a Notre Dame team whose best win was likely against Michigan all the way back in the season opener.
These point spreads are even more lopsided than the initial ones for the first CFP back in 2014. One of those games ended in an upset, which tells you all you need to know about how predictive these might end up being.
