NCAAF Week 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide v Texas Longhorns Analysis & Picks | Bama Big Favorites v UT

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#1 Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) @ Texas Longhorns (1-0)

Where and when?

  • Kick-off: Saturday, 9/10/2022 12:00 pm EDT.
  • Venue: Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin TX.
  • TV: Live on FOX and the FOX Sports app.

What are the odds?

Team Moneyline Spread
Alabama -1600 -20.5
Texas
+800 +20.5

 

Total
Over 65.5
-110
Under 65.5
–110

*Odds courtesy of Bovada

Time to get out of first gear

Bama football is no stranger to the number 1 ranking and they find themselves there again to start this season. They are simply a perennially good team who are 62-16 against top 25 teams since 2011. Texas fell just outside of the top 25 in the first AP poll of the season, but certainly have the talent on the roster to end up there at the end of the year.

There won’t have been many teams in the past that have rocked up in Texas as 20.5 favorites. If there is one team deserving of it, it would be this Crimson Tide team led by Heisman winner, Bryce Young. Young was sensational in the opener against Utah State, responsible for six total touchdowns in a little over two quarters. We didn’t see Alabama get out of first gear, but that will likely change this Saturday afternoon.

It was much the same story for Texas, who blew out Louisiana-Monroe 52-10. Their starters were pulled midway through the third quarter too. What that leaves us with is two teams yet to stretch their legs properly and a little bit of an unknown. With the manner of victories, it is quite hard to judge exactly what both teams are capable of this year. We do know that they are both talented rosters and this game will require a bit more effort than their week one conquests.

How Will This Game be Decided?

The Alabama defense was its usual stingy self against Utah State, allowing only 136 total yards. It is a wildly talented unit, with Will Anderson, a projected top 3 draft pick and LSU transfer, cornerback, Eli Ricks likely an early first rounder too. Alabama performed equally well against the pass as they did the run against Utah State. However, there was no Bijan Robinson on that roster. The Longhorns running back might be the best option to move the ball on Saturday. He averages 6.1 yards per carry over his career at Texas and ran for over 110 yards per game last season. Either way there are no guarantees that will work either, and it could be a long day for Texas QB, Quinn Ewers and this offense.

Bryce Young continued this season where he left off last season – torching defenses. The Texas D were no joke on Saturday either though. They ranked top 15 on the week in numerous advanced metrics, but this is a totally different prospect. They did fare a little better against the run than the pass and unfortunately for the Longhorns, that is a strength of this Bama team. The feeling is Bryce Young has too many strings to his bow for Texas to slow him down, but I am happy to be proven wrong here.

What is the Pick?

There are enough questions and unknowns as to how these offenses will handle these defenses that a small play on UNDER 65.5 @ -110 is the pick for this one.

 

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