NCAA Football Betting – Tigers, Crimson Tide Stage Another Massive Battle

NCAA football betting players should keep a close eye on Saturday’s huge SEC clash in Baton Rouge between Alabama and LSU: not only are both teams ranked in the top 10, but for the last five seasons, the winner of this game has either won the SEC title, gone to a BCS bowl or has won the national title. This week’s game also has a lot on the table.

Alabama LSU Betting – Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 PM ET

The No.6 Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1) are coming off a bye week, and they have won two in a row after an upset loss at South Carolina. The Alabama offense is as balanced as they come, ranking 30th on the ground nationally and 36th through the air. Heisman winner Mark Ingram definitely hasn’t had the season he had in 2009 when he won the stiff-arm trophy, but Trent Richardson is getting yards, and receiver Julio Jones is coming off a 221-yard game at Tennessee. The defense is second in the nation in points allowed, and there are likely a few NFL picks on that side of the ball.

But if the Crimson Tide are going to beat the No.10 Tigers (7-1, 4-1), Jones may have to get the best of his matchup with cornerback Patrick Patterson, arguably the best cover corner in the country. Patterson is the star of a defense that is seventh in the country, and it also helps that the Tigers are 18th in sacks. The defense has to be good, because the offense is absolutely terrible, ranking 113th through the air and 101st overall. The quarterback situation is sketchy at best with Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, which means Stevan Ridley is going to have his hands full going up against a tough Alabama defense.

NCAA football betting odds in your pay per head sportsbook have the Crimson Tide as a 6.5-point favorite in “Death Valley”, and Alabama is 2-3 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five trips to Baton Rouge, which is one of the top 10 toughest places in the entire country to play. This isn’t going to be a blowout, or a high-scoring game as both rank in the top 10 in terms of scoring defense, but we think the Crimson Tide are going to pull this out. Alabama is 17th in the country against the run, and simply put, if the Tigers can’t run the ball, they’re not going to win this game on the arms of Jefferson and Lee. If it comes down to a passing game, the Crimson Tide have a massive advantage with Greg McElroy. One other major factor is coaching: we’re taking Alabama’s Nick Saban over LSU’s Les Miles every day of the week. Bet on Alabama to cover on Saturday.

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