Middle Tennessee State vs Alabama Odds: No Young, No Problem for Tide

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young is off to the NFL, but that shouldn’t be much of an issue for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Few college head coaches are better at reloading at the fly than Nick Saban, who owns seven national championships and 10 SEC titles between stints at LSU and Alabama.

Big expectations await No. 4 Alabama. But that’s nothing new. The Crimson Tide will kick off their pursuit of another NCAA title when they host the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Saturday (7 p.m. ET) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. According to college football spreads, Alabama is a whopping 39-point favorite (-110), while the projected total is 52.0 (-110).

Read on as we break down the Middle Tennessee State vs Alabama odds in our game preview.

New QB, No Problem for Crimson Tide

Can the Alabama Crimson Tide reclaim their place as college football’s team-to-beat? Last year, the Crimson Tide won 11 games but missed qualifying for the NCAAF playoffs for only the second time under Nick Saban. While they did finish on a positive note, beating Kansas State 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl, according to NCAA football scores, they still failed to meet their outsized expectations.

Much of the focus this offseason has been on Alabama’s revamped offense, which is only fair considering the Crimson Tide must replace quarterback Bryce Young, the NFL No. 1 pick. Though Saban has yet to name a starter for Saturday, Jalen Milroe is the presumed favorite after throwing five touchdown passes in 53 attempts last season. Milroe has been competing alongside Ty Simpson and Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner.

For what it’s worth, Buchner has plenty of familiarity with new Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who previously held the same position at Notre Dame. Rees, 31, replaces Bill O’Brien, who left for the New England Patriots. The Crimson Tide finished ranked No. 5 in the country, but there are a lot of holes left to fill on offense. Keep that in mind when assessing the Middle Tennessee State vs Alabama odds.

Nevertheless, expectations remain massive for Alabama. The Crimson Tide are projected for 10.5 regular season wins (+140 Over, -170 Under) and are +300 to win the SEC, trailing only Georgia (-115). They also have the second-shortest NCAA title odds at +600 and are +135 to make the College Football Playoff.

Alabama has averaged 12.4 wins over the last five seasons, including 14 in 2018. So, while oddsmakers aren’t giving the Crimson Tide much room for error, Saban and Co. are used to hitting an incredibly high bar. This season should be no different, new quarterback and all.

Replacing Cunningham a Priority

The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders are also transitioning to a new quarterback, needing to replace Chase Cunningham. It was Cunningham who guided the nation’s 62nd-ranked offense last season, completing 66.7% of his passes for 3,156 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also ran for six scores.

The Blue Raiders finished 8-5 (4-4 in Conference USA play) and won the Hawaii Bowl, 25-23 over San Diego State. They’ve been among the more consistent programs under Rick Stockstill, with seven bowl appearances over the last 10 NCAAF seasons. And oddsmakers remain bullish, projecting them for 6.5 wins (-125 Over, -105 Under).

Whether they can meet, if not exceed, those expectations will largely depend on their plans post-Cunningham. Redshirt juniors Ren Hefley and Stone Frost are the most experienced quarterbacks on the roster. But there’s big shoes to fill, taking over an offense that averaged 28.8 points per game. That included six games with 30 points or more.

As for Conference USA, Middle Tennessee has the third-best odds (+500) behind Western Kentucky (+125) and Liberty (+250). Six schools left the league (UTSA, North Texas, UAB, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic and Rice), leaving only seven of the current members eligible to compete for a conference championship.

Handicapping the Game

It’s sometimes risky to jump to conclusions, but in this case, we can make an exception. Middle Tennessee has next to no shot here. Alabama is loaded — again. Even without Young, the Crimson Tide should make a run for an SEC title, if not an NCAA championship.

With Alabama’s defense in good shape, that should allow Milroe — assuming he does start — time to find the right answers under center. It could get ugly early for Middle Tennessee, especially if the Crimson Tide are as good as advertised.

That’s why the Crimson Tide are an obvious seven-touchdown favorite per the Middle Tennessee State vs Alabama odds.

For college football betting news, odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

Can’t get enough? Here’s more!

• Nebraska at Minnesota Betting: Matt Rhule Era Begins with Increased Expectations
• CFB: Central Michigan vs. Michigan State Odds Preview
• Boise State vs Washington Odds: No. 10 Huskies Expected to Air it Out
• Toledo vs Illinois Odds: Can Illinois’ Defense Replenish On Defense?
• South Florida vs Western Kentucky Odds: Reed’s Quest for 5,000 Yards