ESPN College Gameday rolls into Tuscaloosa for its 10th road trip of the season on Saturday night for a pivotal showdown as SEC nemesis and No. 13 LSU (6-2, 3rd SEC West) faces the eighth-ranked Crimson Tide (7-1, 1st SEC West). If sports betting in Alabama was legal, this game certainly would bring heavy action.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe seems to have figured it out as the leader of the offense for Alabama since a 34-24 home loss to Texas on Sept. 9. Through five SEC contests this season, Milroe has completed 66.7% of his passes for 233.8 yards per game (eight touchdowns, three interceptions).
LSU, with two road losses at Florida State (45-24, Sept. 3) and at Mississippi (55-49, Sept. 30), also seems to have regained its footing with quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Jayden Daniels leading the way. You can’t get these odds yet on Alabama sports betting apps, but nationally DraftKings has Daniels at +400 to win the Hesiman, behind only Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. (+280) and Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (+300).
LSU head coach Brian Kelly is looking to win back-to-back games against the Crimson Tide after last year’s 32-31 home win over Alabama on Nov. 5. In that game, Daniels completed 22 of 32 passes for 182 yards and two TDS. He also had 18 carries for 95 yards and a score on the ground.
ESPN Knows Way Around Tuscaloosa
Before the two visits so far this year, the most recent time Saturday’s crew headed to Tuscaloosa was Oct. 27, 2020, when then-second-ranked Alabama upended No 4 Georgia, 41-24. Alabama has hosted ESPN College GameDay the second most times (18), is second in most appearances (56) and is second in wins with a 35-20 record. Only Ohio State, with 23, 58 and a record of 39-18, respectively, is ahead of Alabama.
Who will be this week’s surprise guest picker in Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa History on College GameDay
Here is a look at how the Crimson Tide have fared whenever ESPN College GameDay came to campus since 2013, as tabulated by ncaa.com.
BetMGM, DraftKings Betting Markets
As of Monday afternoon, BetMGM Sportsbook lists Alabama as a 3-point and -165 moneyline favorite over the Tigers (+135) with the over/under point total at 60.5. On the futures market, Alabama is tied as the fifth favorite with Oregon at +1400 to win the national championship. LSU is the 10th favorite at +4000. If wagering becomes legal in the state, you will want to have a BetMGM Alabama promo code.
Over at DraftKings, Alabama is the second favorite to win the SEC at +260, with favorite Georgia (-175) and third choice LSU at +600.
