Ole Miss Rebels at Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview
This game has the potential to be the most electric matchup of the College Football season, and Rebels coach Lane Kiffin is doing all he can to help that case. Kiffin is seeking to become the first former Nick Saban assistant to get a win over his former boss, after coming close in Oxford a season ago. The Rebels have had an extra week to prepare for this game, but it seems like this is one they’ve been eyeing all off-season.
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Ole Miss Rebels Team Preview
Lane Kiffin and offense go together like the SEC and sweet tea. The Rebels have been lighting up scoreboards through their first three games, averaging over 50 points and 600 yards per game.
Ole Miss is led by the new Heisman Trophy favorite according to oddsmakers, Matt Corral. BetOnline has Corral’s betting odds set at +175, tied with his opponent this weekend, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Corral has nine touchdowns through the air and an additional five on the ground without throwing an interception through three games.
Corral is helped by an effective running game as well. As a team, the Rebels are averaging a shade over six yards per carry led by two-sport athlete Jerrion Ealy. The big shoes left to fill by Elijah Moore and Kenny Yeboah have been filled in by a trio of Dontario Drummond, Jonathan Mingo, and Braylon Sanders. Each of the pass-catchers has at least two scores on the year.
The Rebels are 2-0-1 against the spread this year, having pushed on a 37-point win against Austin Peay in Week 2. They’ve also hit the over on total points in the most recent two matchups, an impressive feat considering the betting lines have been set in the ’70s.
Alabama Crimson Tide Team Preview
Nick Saban’s team was nearly flawless in 2020 and was always going to have a hill to climb to reach that level after losing five first-round draft picks and a star offensive coordinator. Luckily for Alabama, the cupboard isn’t just full, it’s constantly overflowing with former five stars and future first-round draft picks.
Bryce Young is on his way to fitting both of those descriptions, as the former number one recruit has had a fantastic showing through four games. The sophomore has put his name squarely in the Heisman conversation next to Corral’s, and Saturday will go a long way in deciding who ultimately ends up in New York come December.
The Tide have big wins over Miami (FL) in Atlanta and the Florida Gators in The Swamp to start the season. The inexperienced Tide got out to an early lead and were able to withstand a vicious comeback by Dan Mullen’s team in Gainesville. The defense may have shown some susceptibility that has to have Lane Kiffin eager to unleash his playbook.
Alabama is 2-2 against the spread after a close victory over the Gators and a failure to hit a lofty line against the Mercer Bears. The Tide have hit the over in three of their four games, failing to get much help from the Hurricanes in Week 1.
Betting Preview
BetOnline and Bovada have the Tide at -14.5 at home, and oddsmakers have the betting line for the over/under set at 79.5 total points. If last year’s game is an indication of how this year’s game will play out, the over will certainly come into play.
Ultimately, this will come down to Alabama’s defense. The talent is there, but has the Crimson Tide learned from their mistakes from a season ago? If Nick Saban’s defense can force Matt Corral to make mistakes as he did in games a year ago this game could burst wide open in favor of the Tide.
For the sake of entertainment, college football fans should hope the over hits in this one, but that may not be the most likely scenario. Hard to fool Alabama twice, and that’s what it would take for Ole Miss to hold up their end of the bargain.
