NEW ORLEANS — The ESPN analysts on “Get Up” this morning gave their predictions for tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game between No. 1 LSU and No. 3 Clemson and were split on who they think will take home the trophy.

Rex Ryan pointed to the ranking beside Clemson’s name and made his pick for tonight’s showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

“You know what this 3 is? You know what that stands for?” he said. “That’s how many national championships they’re going to have after they win today in five years. That’s what that 3 means… I’m taking Clemson.”

Ryan later offered his score prediction of 31-27, and Dan Orlovsky followed with a similar forecast.

“If you’ve watched me all year, you would think I’m going to take Clemson because I’ve been on Clemson since the start of this season,” he said. “But then you realize like we’re in New Orleans, and New Orleans is a very unique city where you better say the right things at the right time. And so naturally people are going to think like oh, he’s going to pick LSU. You’re wrong. I’m picking Clemson to win this football game. I’ll take Clemson, 38-34.”

“Trevor Lawrence can have a big night,” Orlovsky added. “That defense is going to have a big night. Amari Rodgers will be the difference-maker in the slot, and LSU’s dream season is going to end in disappointment.”

Unsurprisingly, former LSU defensive back Ryan Clark and former LSU defensive lineman Marcus Spears both differed in opinion from Ryan and Orlovsky and went with their alma mater to win it all tonight.

Clark pointed to running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, as well as passing game coordinator Joe Brady and offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, when explaining why he thinks the Bayou Bengals will prevail over the ACC’s Tigers.

“I’m going with LSU, and I think that it’s about Clyde Edwards-Helaire and what he can do against the linebackers of Clemson,” Clark said. “And also Joe Brady and Steve Ensminger. All year, they’ve been faced with moments that they had to stay true to who they had become offensively, and this is going to be another night where they have to make the play-calls in clutch moments and they have the best clutch quarterback in football.”

Spears, meanwhile, had this to say:

“Listen, there has been this great run for Clemson, and they’ve done tremendous things and I believe in Dabo and this program isn’t going anywhere. But sometimes, you’re in the way of something that’s magical, and I think this is what it is for LSU.

“First of all, you’re going to have to score 40. I don’t know what the hell Rex is talking about, some 27 points from this offense. The second thing is this – when you look at this season as it has transpired, you take everything that Clemson has done, everything that LSU has done, LSU to me has proved more throughout this season. So I’m comfortable with saying if this game is in the fourth quarter and a play needs to be made, LSU won’t be in an unfamiliar spot.”

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