Alabama, but not in a shootout.
That is the overwhelming sentiment among sports bettors less than a week out from the College Football Playoff title game.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide are 7.5-point favorites at DraftKings, where Alabama is being backed by 71 percent of the spread line bet and 76 percent of the handle. However, bettors are leaning toward No. 3 Ohio State’s +325 moneyline, which has attracted 55 percent of the bets compared to Alabama’s 45 percent at -305.
After the teams combined for 80 points in their respective semifinal victories, DraftKings installed the Over/Under at 76 points. The Under is currently being backed by 65 percent of the bets and 68 percent of the handle.
Alabama scored 50-plus points in three consecutive games before being “held” to 31 by Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and led 28-7 midway through the third before putting the offense largely on cruise control.
The bigger x-factor is Ohio State, which produced a stunning 49-28 win over No. 2 Clemson in the second semifinal in the Sugar Bowl
Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields threw six touchdown passes against the Tigers. That came after scuffling a bit in a 22-10 win over Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game.
Ohio State has averaged 43.4 points per game this season. But the Buckeyes’ body of work has been limited in a seven-game schedule to date, and they have yet to face a defense as deep and loaded with as much NFL talent as the Crimson Tide’s.
Alabama is also a 7.5-point favorite at PointsBet and BetMGM, where the Over/Under was being offered at 75 and 75.5, respectively, on Tuesday.
