Alabama Primed to Crush Short-Handed Missouri

The Alabama Crimson Tide have high expectations as usual – but they’ll have an opportunity to cruise into the 2020 season as they take on a ravaged Missouri Tigers team in their season opener Saturday. While Alabama isn’t expected to have any COVID-19-related absences, the Tigers have confirmed that they’ll be missing up to 12 players due to the coronavirus.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The spread for this game opened at -25.5 but has climbed as high as -28 at select sportsbooks – and could climb even higher if the public hammers this number as expected. The total opened at 55.5.

Alabama News & Notes

Following in the footsteps of recent Crimson Tide quarterback standouts Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa: junior Mac Jones, who completed nearly 69 percent of his attempts with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions in limited action last year. Monitor his price on daily fantasy sites this week; it’ll probably be high, but given the state of the Tigers, he’ll likely be worth the spend-up.

Jones will have the benefit of a wealth of returning wide receiver talent, even with the departure of first-round NFL picks Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy. DeVonta Smith led the team in receiving yards (1,258) and touchdowns (14) and will be joined by oft-overlooked but wildly talented Jaylen Waddle, who turned 33 receptions into 560 yards and six TDs a year ago.

Missouri News & Notes

Handicapping the Tigers’ chances of covering against the powerhouse Crimson Tide could prove challenging – not only because a dozen players won’t be in uniform, but because they haven’t been identified. Missouri has also had several players either opt out or leave the team, including quarterback Taylor Powell, who was expected to challenge for the starting job.

The team’s QB1 still hasn’t been officially unveiled, but it’s expected to be TCU transfer Shawn Robinson, who sat out the entire 2019 season; he completed 60.8 percent of his passes with nine TDs and eight INTs with the Horned Frogs in 2018. He’ll have some help in 2020, with Virginia Tech transfer Damon Hazelton scoring eight TDs as a junior with the Hokies last season.

Betting Pick: Alabama -28 (-110)

If you can get this line now, you should. Missouri is reeling, and Alabama’s new crop of superstars will be looking to make a strong first impression for a team that traditionally gets off to a slow start.