Alabama Win Total Pick
After coming up short of the College Football Playoff Championship last season, is Alabama due to make another run toward a championship this season?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Alabama is still listed as the favorite to win the national title this season, as the Tide are getting odds of +350 to win. The Tide are also listed with odds of -140 to win the SEC in 2016, while their over/under total for wins in the upcoming season are listed at 11.
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Nick Saban enters his 11th season as the leader of the Crimson Tide. He is coming off back-to-back 14-1 seasons, including a playoff championship in 2015. He has won at least 11 games the last six seasons and has a 114-19 record in his time with the Tide, including a 66-12 record in SEC play.
Like usual, Alabama lost an incredible amount of talent from the 2016 team. Graduations took a lot of talent alone, while 11 players declared for the NFL Draft early and four others transferred. Still, there won’t be any talent lacking. The Tide always reload, not rebuild. They once again have one of the best recruiting classes in 2017 and they will bring back a top-level QB in Jalen Hurts. Hurts was the starting QB as a freshman and threw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns while also rushing for 954 yards and 13 scores. He will have Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough with him in the backfield. The trio combined for over 2,800 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns in 2016. Hurts will also have a top receiver back in Calvin Ridley, who caught 72 passes for 769 yards and seven touchdowns. They also have three starting offensive linemen back. Defensively, Alabama returns seven starters back from a unit that allowed just 11.8 points and 248 yards per game in 2016.
The schedule will be competitive once again, as the Tide open things up against Florida State on Sept. 2 in Atlanta. Other non-conference games feature Fresno State, Colorado State and Mercer. SEC home games will feature Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU. Road trips will be made to Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Auburn.
Everything is lining up pretty nicely for Alabama. The Tide should once again have a tremendous defense and the offense should be even better with Hurts getting another summer with the coaches under his belt. Alabama’s run game seems as if it will be unstoppable, which will allow the Tide to control the clock against most opponents. If Bama can avoid a slip up against Florida State, I am not sure anyone on the schedule can challenge them. Bama has their toughest SEC games at home, outside of the Iron Bowl at Auburn to end the year.
2017 WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: ALABAMA OVER 11