No program in America is quite as strong as that of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Nick Saban has turned himself into a legitimate legend after winning another National Championship last season, and he's starting to put himself in that rarified air which is currently on breathed by the great Bear Bryant. Another title this year could legitimately put Saban in the discussion as the best college coach of all-time.
Alabama Crimson Tide Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Alabama Over 9.5 Wins ( -280 )
Alabama Under 9.5 Wins ( +200 )
Alabama almost can't be as good as it was a year ago. The team lost half of its starters from a year ago, and seven of those 11 starters went on to the NFL. It's the defensive line which will have the biggest problem retooling, as both A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed were second round picks.
Still, Jonathan Allen and Eddie Jackson are on this side of the ball, and they both have NFL prospects as well.
Calvin Ridley will lead this offense as the top playmaker as just a sophomore, and with three starters returning to the offensive line, the only question left is who is ultimately going to play quarterback for this team. Cooper Bateman, who did start a game for the Tide last year before getting pulled, is the incumbent, but he's unproven for sure. David Cornwell could steal the job from him at some point as well, as he has better pro prospects for sure than Bateman does.
The running backs aren't proven in Tuscaloosa this year, but most believe that Bo Scarbrough is the next superstar running back to get pushed through this program.
2016 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Schedule
September 3 – vs. USC (in Arlington)
September 10 – vs. Western Kentucky
September 17 – at Ole Miss
September 24 – vs. Kent State
October 1 – vs. Kentucky
October 8 – at Arkansas
October 15 – at Tennessee
October 22 – vs. Texas AM
November 5 – at LSU
November 12 – vs. Mississippi State
November 19 – vs. Chattanooga
November 26 – vs. Auburn
All eyes are going to be on that stretch of schedule from October 8 through November 5. The Crimson Tide have some early business to tend to first against USC and Ole Miss (a particularly notable game since the Rebs did pull off a stunner in Tuscaloosa last year), but if those two games are survived, that stretch of at Arkansas, at Tennessee, Texas AM and at LSU looms large.
Odds have it, the Crimson Tide will survive a loss in one of those games, particularly if the loss is at Tennessee. But a loss to LSU or Ole Miss could put Alabama in real jeopardy for the SEC West title, something which would probably eliminate it from title contention.
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Even though we don't believe in Bateman, we do trust that Saban is going to get his act together and once again make Alabama one of the best teams in America. Are the Crimson Tide running the table? Probably not. But they don't have to in order to get to the 10 requisite wins to beat this regular season win total.
Sure, all four of these road games are really tough, but the Tide have excelled under pressure time and time again in the toughest venues in the SEC. They aren't losing to USC in Week 1 of the season, and so long as that's the case, we can't see this team getting beaten three times in SEC play. Don't be stunned if the Crimson Tide are back playing for the title for the third straight season in the College Football Playoff.
College Football Odds: Alabama Crimson Tide Over 9.5 Wins
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