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The Crimson Tide are coming off a massive win against the Georgia Bulldogs, while Vanderbilt was on a bye the previous week. It is time to continue our college football odds series with an Alabama-Vanderbilt prediction and pick.
The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide made a statement in their last game against the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. In an instant classic, they punched Georgia in the mouth and raced out to a 28-0 lead before hanging on 41-34. The Kalen DeBoer era has gotten off to a fast start with the Crimson Tide at 4-0, and the offense has not skipped a beat with Jalen Milroe's fit in his offense looking great so far. The key is if they can maintain this start because this week could be a potential letdown spot against a feisty Vanderbilt team.
Vanderbilt has been hit or miss this season to start. They are 2-2 this season, and in the wins, they shocked Virginia Tech and blew out Alcorn State. However, they also lost to Georgia State and Missouri in two close games. Vanderbilt was expected to be the doormat of the SEC, but they have shown some fight so far this season. There is a massive talent discrepancy between the Commodores and the Crimson Tide, but the letdown factor at home in Nashville keeps this game interesting for Vandy, at least.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Alabama-Vanderbilt Odds
Alabama: -23.5 (-106)
Moneyline: -2500
Vanderbilt: +23.5 (-114)
Moneyline: +1100
Over: 55.5 (-110)
Under: 55.5 (-110)
How to Watch Alabama vs. Vanderbilt
Time: 4:15 pm ET/1:15 pm PT
TV: SEC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Alabama Could Cover The Spread/Win
It starts and ends with the Crimson Tide's offense. Jalen Milroe has fit like a glove in Kalen DeBoer's offense and is the engine that makes this offense go. He has 964 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and one interception on a 72.9% completion percentage. He also has 273 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 52 carries this season. Jam Miller and Justice Haynes add to the Alabama backfield to make it a triple threat for defenses to account for. Miller is tied with Milroe for the most rushing yards on the team at 273 yards, and then Haynes is just behind with 200 rushing yards. Finally, the key for the Crimson Tide through the air is freshman sensation and 17-year-old receiver Ryan Williams. He has 16 receptions for 462 receiving yards with five touchdowns, including the play of the season last week to beat Georgia.
Alabama's defense has been solid this season, too, but without Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide had the most questions surrounding their defense coming into the year. They have answered the challenge so far. They are ranked seventh in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 15 points per game, and are tied for 20th in all college football. The Crimson Tide also allow a total of 315.8 yards per game and are better against the pass than through the air. Jihaad Campbell leads the way in total tackles at 32, while Que Robinson leads in sacks at 3.5. Then, in the secondary, Keon Sabb leads in interceptions at two this season.
Why Vanderbilt Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Commodores were very inconsistent at the start of the season, but their offense has improved significantly this season. They are averaging 37 points per game and have a new quarterback to thank, Diego Pavia. He came from New Mexico State and has been an instant spark plug. He has 721 passing yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions on a 63.5% completion percentage. He also has 271 rushing yards on 71 carries with two rushing touchdowns. He is the x-factor for the Commodores and needs to play well for them to have any chance against Alabama.
Vanderbilt's struggles are on defense. They are allowing 23.3 points per game, which is solid, but they have struggled in their last two games. They do not have many standouts on defense regarding talent, but their head coach, Clark Lea, is a defensive coach and has gotten the most out of this unit this year. They are allowing 334 total yards per game and have struggled more against the pass than against the run, which could spell trouble against Ryan Williams.
Final Alabama-Vanderbilt Prediction & Pick
Alabama has the best win of the season so far after last week's game against Georgia. It was a crazy game, but they held on. There is bound to be somewhat of a hangover against the Commodores, especially because Vanderbilt was on a bye, and all they were focused on was this game. Vanderbilt will not make this a close game, but the spread is too big after an emotional high like last week. Expect Vanderbilt to cover at home.
Final Alabama-Vanderbilt Prediction & Pick: Vanderbilt +23.5 (-114)
