Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Florida Gators Betting Preview
Where: Georgia Dome – Atlanta, GA
When: Saturday, December 3, 2016 – 4:00 PM ET
Line: Alabama Crimson Tide (-24) vs. Florida Gators (+24) – view all NCAA Football odds and lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
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Betting on the Alabama Crimson Tide (-24)
Another year, another college football domination by Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide. The team is still undefeated (12-0 SU and 8-4 ATS), as expected, and will enter the game gunning for their third straight SEC title.
With Jalen Hurts under center, a freshman who plays like a senior, they should be able to do what they have to do on offense. The QB is exceeding expectations and more, averaging 202 passing YPG and listing a 20-9 TD-INT ratio, while also recording 70 YPG on the ground and having 12 rushing scores.
He’ll face a competitive secondary, but receivers Ardarius Stewart and Calvin Ridley, who each have seven TD grabs this season, can also give their opponents some tough competition.
Running back Damien Harris will help the wideout from the backfield. The sophomore is providing good presence this season, rushing for 897 yards on 7.2 yards per carry.
As for the defense, Alabama’s unit, just like in recent years, is just too much. On a good day, this team could probably give the Cleveland Browns a pretty good challenge.
With the help from the D, ‘Bama is outscoring its opponents by an average of 28 points, while also holding them to only 246.7 total yards per game (3.96 yards per play). Stopping the run will be a big key to their win, because Austin Appleby and the Gators’ aerial attack are highly unlikely to edge out coach Saban’s pass defense.
Betting on the Florida Gators (+24)
Like Alabama, Florida is also a force to be reckoned with on defense, as evidenced to limiting opponents to scoring 10 points or less in five games this season.
Through Caleb Brantley and Jabari Zuniga’s leadership, who collectively have 17 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, the Gators are only allowing 14.6 points (fifth in the nation) and 291.9 total yards (sixth in the nation) per game. The two, along with the entire defense, will have a heavy task at hand against the formidable Alabama offense, especially since they will be without pass rushers Jarrad Davis (ankle) and Jordan Sherit (knee).
With that, the offense will have great pressure as well. The unit will have to figure out how to keep the Crimson Tide’s offense out of the field as much as possible, and at the same time survive their monsterous defense.
Austin Appleby (137.7 passing YPG, 6-2 TD-INT ratio), who’s only replacing the injured Luke Del Rio (shoulder), isn’t scaring anyone with his throwing numbers, and running back Jordan Scarlett will have to help counter that. The sophomore back has been their most consistent player on offense, recording 778 yards on 5.1 yards per carry, along with six touchdowns.
The Gators are 5-5 SU and ATS in their last 10 games outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Writer’s prediction:
Alabama (-24) wins and covers the spread.
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