After surviving the upset bid of Johnny Football and Texas A&M, 2-0 Alabama steps back out of SEC play to host former Tide OC Jim McElwain and his 1-2 Colorado State squad Saturday evening (7 pm ET, ESPN2).
It only makes sense to follow a hearty steak dinner with a cupcake for dessert.
As of early in the week No. 1 'Bama was favored by 38 points over the Rams and the Tide often takes care of business as big chalk.
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View Colorado State vs Alabama Odds and Stats.
Betting Line: Alabama were sitting as 36.5-point favorites earlier in the week at Sportsbook. The total was 50.5 Thursday at Sportsbook.
Power Rankings / Prediction: According to the Power Rankings here at OddsShark it's the No. 18-rated Crimson Tide and the No. 120-rated Rams in this matchup. Predictive formulas point to a 48-12 win for the Crimson Tide on Saturday.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Alabama's No. 24-ranked offense (42 PPG) against a Rams defense that ranks No. 85 at 29.3 PPG. The Crimson Tide passing attack has averaged 222 yards per game, less than the Rams give up through the air (258.7 YPG on average).
Last time out for Colorado State, they were a 34-17 Sportsbook as they battled Cal Poly at home. No odds were posted on that game, as it involved the non-board school. Last time we saw the Mustangs, they had no answer for Chris Nwoke as the Rams rolled to a 34-17 victory at Hughes Stadium.
In their last action, Alabama was a 49-42 Sportsbook on the road against Texas A&M. They failed to cover the 8.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (91) was profitable news for OVER bettors. AJ McCarron led his team to victory last time out, throwing for 334 yards Saturday as the Crimson Tide downed the Aggies 49-42 at Kyle Field.
Colorado State Rams Trends:
When playing in September are 3-7
When playing on grass are 2-8
After outgaining opponent are 1-9
When playing outside the conference are 3-7
Alabama Crimson Tide Trends:
When playing in September are 10-0
When playing on grass are 9-1
After being outgained are 7-3
When playing outside the conference are 10-0
A few Rams at Crimson Tide trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado State's last 6 games on the road
Colorado State is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Colorado State is 6-16 ATS in its last 22 games on the road
Colorado State is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games
Alabama is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Alabama's last 5 games
Alabama is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Alabama is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Next up:
Colorado State home to Texas El Paso, Saturday, September 28
Alabama home to Mississippi, Saturday, September 28
