Bettors banking on Joe Burrow to go under passing yards prop

Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow has been virtually unstoppable this season, throwing for 5,208 yards (372 per game) and 55 touchdown passes in 14 games.

However, prop bettors expect Clemson’s formidable defense to slow down the Louisiana State quarterback in Monday’s College Football Playoff national title game in New Orleans.

“The first (prop) bet we took was Burrow under (366½ passing yards),” William Hill sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said.

Handicapper Kenny White bet Burrow under 365½ yards and the total was down to 352½ on Sunday afternoon at William Hill.

“Clemson has the No. 1 pass defense in the country and has had two weeks to prepare with the nation’s best defensive coordinator in Brent Venables,” said White (KennyWhiteSports.com).

Bettors at the Westgate sportsbook have pushed Clemson running back Travis Etienne’s total rushing yards from 83½ to 93½.

Professional sports bettor Frank Carulli is among those who like Etienne to eclipse his total.

“Texas and Alabama passed for more than 400 yards against LSU, Ole Miss ran for 400 and Vanderbilt moved the ball at will,” Carulli said. “I’m thinking Etienne will break a long one or two and hoping Clemson can keep the game within reach.

“If not, I’d lean toward (Clemson QB Trevor) Lawrence going over 21½ completions and 293½ passing yards, thinking it will be a shootout and Clemson will be playing catch up.”

Many prop bettors try to hit both sides of a wager at different books. That’s what appears to have happened on Justin Jefferson’s receiving yards. The total opened at 100½ at William Hill and is down to 96½. It opened at 88½ at the Westgate and is up to 94½.

Bettors at William Hill are banking on either LSU or Clemson to produce three unanswered scores. Yes opened at -185 and is up to a -240 favorite.

“That’s always a popular prop and, with a total of almost 70, I knew they’d bet it over,” Bogdanovich said.

Westgate sportsbook director John Murray said his book took several bets on the first score to be anything besides a TD, which moved the price from +300 to +260.

The Westgate also took multiple bets on Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins to score a TD, moving the price from -150 to -190.

Bogdanovich expects 98 percent of the money on CFP props to be bet on Monday.

“There’s too much stuff going on for the masses to tie up their money on that. There were all the props to bet on the four NFL games before they get to that one,” he said. “The (CFP props) pale in comparison to the NFL because they don’t know the college kids like they do the NFL players.

“Burrow and Lawrence will get action but the rest won’t.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.