It's Week 7 in College Football and we're officially halfway through the 2023 season – join us as we bring you our prediction and pick for this pivotal Southeastern Conference matchup. The Arkansas Razorbacks (2-4)will visit Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 11 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1). Check out our College Football odds series for our Arkansas-Alabama prediction and pick.

The Arkansas Razorbacks are currently sixth in the SEC West and have lost their last four consecutive games heading into this contest. Alabama will be their third top-20 opponent in the last four weeks, so the Razorbacks are hoping to remain unscathed as their schedule lightens up a bit. Still, any SEC games will be a battle for them, so they're hopeful for a momentum-building performance against their conference rival.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are currently first in the SEC West and have remained perfect in conference play at 3-0. It seems as though this Alabama team won't be bulldozing competition like years past, but they've shown great resiliency and managed to make plays when they matter most. While this game may have been more competitive a year or two ago, Alabama still comes in as the favorite by three touchdowns. Nick Saban has been hoping for a statement win – perhaps they get one here against the Razorbacks.

Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Arkansas-Alabama Odds

Arkansas: +20.5 (-115)

Alabama: -20.5 (-105)

Over: 46.5 (-115)

Under: 46.5 (-105)

How to Watch Arkansas vs. Alabama Week 7

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET/ 9:00 a.m. PT

TV: ESPN

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Arkansas Will Cover The Spread

The Razorbacks came into this season with lofty expectations, so it's tough to see them struggling like this early on in the year. Many fans knew this may be a down year for Arkansas, but they find comfort in knowing they have a strong incoming class of recruits to bring them back to SEC prominence. A year ago, they were blown out by Alabama 49-26. This year may bring a different ton as Alabama has a fraction of the star power they held last year. It's going to be tough winning this game, but Arkansas managed to keep a one-touchdown deficit during their losses to BYU, #12 LSU, and #16 Ole Miss.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson has been the motor moving this offense this year as he's tallied 1,300 passing yards on the season so far and added 136 yards on the ground. He's actually the team's leading ball carrier by a wide margin, with almost 30 more rushing attempts than their starting running back. However, he's only been able to translate those carries into one rushing touchdown. A big part in this has been the lack of protection from their offensive line, forcing Jefferson to scramble and lose 157 sack yards on the season. Their entire offense is centered around their quarterback's versatility, so winning the line of scrimmage and giving him time to work will be the biggest key for Arkansas to cover this spread.

Why Alabama Will Cover The Spread

Many thought that the 34-24 loss against Texas during Week 2 would define this Alabama team, but they've managed to respond well and take care of business with their last four games. This team isn't built around a few key players and their offense certainly hasn't seen the same production as years past. However, this Alabama team is still very strong on the defensive front and their defense can contend with any offense in the country. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is continuing to mature with each game, so expect him to lead a balanced attack through the air while limiting mistakes. Running back Jase McClellan has been a focal point for them, so look for Alabama to play a familiar style and establish the run early.

The Crimson Tide will be three-touchdown favorites on this betting spread, but they've only managed to cover that margin twice against Middle Tennessee State and Mississippi State. The majority of their games have been rather close contests and if this Arkansas team shows up to play, we could see another nail-biter for the Crimson Tide. Alabama will still be the heavily-favored team for the way they should be able to swallow up the pocket and limit KJ Jefferson from having a good day on the ground.

Final Arkansas-Alabama Prediction & Pick

It's hard to imagine what kind of things Nick Saban could be telling his team in some of these close games throughout the year, but they have a chance to make a statement at home against an Arkansas team that's had its struggles this year. However, don't expect the Razorbacks to go down quietly as they have their moments in this game. Expect Alabama to win dominantly with their defense, but this point spread may be too wide. I expect Alabama to pull away late as both teams see some success with their offenses. Let's take the Razorbacks to cover and the total to go over.

Final Arkansas-Alabama Prediction & Pick: Arkansas Razorbacks +20.5 (-115); OVER 46.5 (-115)