Alabama's Season Opener: Can They Cover The 39.5 Point Spread?
Transcript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 You look at this number though, Joe,
00:04 39 and a half in favor of Alabama.
00:07 We mentioned it at the top of the program.
00:09 The Crimson Tide have won 21 consecutive season openers,
00:13 all 17 years under Nick Saban up until this point.
00:16 So the question with a 39 and a half point spread, Joe,
00:19 is not, is Alabama going to make it 22 straight victories
00:22 in a season opener,
00:24 but can they cover as nearly a 40 point favorite?
00:26 - Absolutely.
00:27 I mean, they covered a 40 and a half point number
00:29 against the Mountain West champs last year, Utah State.
00:32 They put on 55 points,
00:33 but that was with Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young.
00:36 I think when you look at this matchup, it's critical.
00:38 Week two, does Nick Saban want to show everything
00:41 to Steve Sarkisian in Texas?
00:43 Because right now, from an offensive perspective,
00:45 you might give the inside edge to the Texas offense
00:48 in terms of Quinn Ures, Xavier Worthy,
00:51 and this is the shortest spread in terms of Alabama, guys.
00:54 Two spreads, Georgia in 2020,
00:56 where the COVID year, Matt Jones won 41-21, they laid five.
01:00 Joe Burrow in 2019,
01:02 they laid right in the area of five and a half, six.
01:05 Now they're only laying six and a half.
01:07 They are 46 and one straight up since 2016
01:10 in terms of, in Brian Denny.
01:12 They won their home games last year
01:14 by 35.3 points per game.
01:17 So they're definitely going to win,
01:18 but I think Middle Tennessee State does shorten the game.
01:22 They don't show enough,
01:23 and maybe they win by 31 in Middle Tennessee State coverage
01:27 later today.
01:27 (upbeat music)
01:30 [MUSIC]