Alabama and Clemson are meeting for the fourth straight year in the College Football Playoff, for the third time in the national championship game. The Crimson Tide are 2-1 outright through those first three meetings but the Tigers are 2-1 against the spread, playing as underdogs each game. Who's the smart bet for Monday night's title tilt in Santa Clara?

College football point spread: The Crimson Tide opened as 6.5-point favorites; the total is at 59.5, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 41.6-41.0, Crimson Tide (College football picks on every game)

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Why the Tigers can cover the spread

The national champions from two seasons ago reached this title game by stifling Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Saturday 30-3. Clemson turned an early takeaway into a field goal, let the Irish tie the score at 3-3 late in the first quarter, then out-scored Notre Dame 27-0 from there and covered as an 11-point favorite at online betting sites.

On the afternoon, the Tigers out-gained the Irish 538-248 as quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns without a pick. Clemson also out-rushed Notre Dame 211-88.

The Tigers beat their three toughest opponents this season (Texas A&M, Syracuse and Notre Dame) by an average score of 28-17 and have now won their last nine games by an average score of 48-11, going 7-2 in the process.

Why the Crimson Tide can cover the spread

The defending national champs reached this national title tilt by out-scoring Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on Saturday 45-34. But that game wasn't really as close as the score might indicate. Alabama drove its first four possessions of the game 75, 55, 61 and 48 yards to touchdowns for a 28-0 lead and never allowed the Sooners to get back within one score after that.

Unfortunately for their financial backers, though, the Tide let Oklahoma score a touchdown with four minutes left, then ended the game with two kneel-downs inside the Sooners' 10-yard line, passing up the opportunity to cover a 14-point spread.

On the night, Alabama out-gained Oklahoma 528-471, but almost all the yardage the Crimson Tide defense gave up came while protecting that big early lead.

Meanwhile, Heisman runner-up quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, out-played Heisman winner Kyler Murray, hitting on 24 of 27 throws for 318 yards and four touchdowns, without a pick.

Alabama beat its four toughest opponents this season (Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia and Oklahoma) by an average score of 39-21.

Smart betting pick

Alabama won this matchup in a national semifinal last year 24-6, but while the Tide remain the best team in the country, Clemson is better now than it was that night.

The Tigers are the only team in the country that can come close to matching Alabama talent-wise, and they've really been rolling since inserting Lawrence at quarterback. The Tide might still win this game outright but smart money on the college football odds takes Clemson and the points.

College football betting trends

Clemson is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games.

The total has gone under in four of Clemson's last five games.

The total has gone over in 10 of Alabama's last 15 games.

All college football odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.