2017-18 College Football Playoff: 3 Reasons to Bet on Alabama.

2017-18 College Football Playoff: 3 Reasons to Bet on Alabama

Written by on November 8, 2017

If you’ve been keeping a track of top-ranked Alabama all season long and you’re looking for a reason on why you should bet on the perennial title contenders once the 2017-18 College Football Playoffs gets underway on January 1, 2018, with their pair of national championship semifinal contests, then consider your ticket punched! Thanks to the expert College Football betting information that you’re about to get, you’re going to have three great reasons why you should back Nick Saban’s perennially-powerful championship hopeful this coming postseason. Be sure to check out the latest College Football Championship odds at MyBookie. Now let’s get started.

2017-18 College Football Playoff: 3 Reasons to Bet on Alabama

College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual

  • Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 5 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

College Football Playoff at the Allstate Sugar Bowl

  • Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans

Playoff Picture – Week 11 (Top 10)

  • 1-Georgia
  • 2-Alabama
  • 3-Notre Dame
  • 4-Clemson
  • 5-Oklahoma
  • 6-TCU
  • 7-Miami
  • 8-Wisconsin
  • 9-Washington
  • 10-Auburn

Why Should You Bet on Georgia in the NCAAF Playoff?

Alabama Records (November 8th)

  • All: 9-0
  • Home: 7-0
  • Away: 2-0
  • ATS: 4-5
  • Over/Under: 4-5

Their Defense

Seriously? Where’d you think I was going to start? Look, the fact of the matter is that whether you love the Tide or loathe them, Alabama has taken playing powerful defense to an entirely different level during the Nick Saban era and this season’s squad is no different. The Crimson Tide rank second I total defense by limiting their opponents to just 245.3 yards per game. Alabama is ranked a stellar ninth against the pass by holding the opposition to just 168.0 passing yards per game while ranking an even more impressive second against the run by limiting their opponents to a mind-boggling 77.3 yards per contest. Oh, did I forget to mention that Alabama leads the nation in fewest points allowed per game by giving up just 9.8 points per contest? I mean, damn, it’s kind of hard to beat someone when you can’t score on them! And oh, by the way, the Tide are getting it done this season without a ton of All-American defensive superstars like they had on last season’s team that saw three of their starters taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Their Offense

It’s funny that, while Alabama isn’t generally known as a powerful offensive team, they’re putting points on the board like one. The Crimson Tide rank a solid 19th in total offense (477.4 YPG), including a respectable 87th in passing (199.0 YPG). However, as is always the case under Nick Saban, Alabama has one of the most powerful rushing attacks in the nation and this season is no different with the Tide ranking ninth in rushing by averaging stellar 287.4 yards per game on the ground. Damien Harris is one of the reasons to bet on Alabama at the 2017-18 College Football Playoff. Alabama has a pair of future NFL running backs in team rushing leader Damien Harris (730 yards, 10 Tds) and sidekick, Bo Scarborough (416 yards, 7 Tds). Throw in some excellent running quarterback Jalen Hurts (616 yards, 7 Tds) and it’s easy to see why the Tide roll all over their opponents, pardon the pun. Oh, and did I forget to mention that while Hurts isn’t throwing the ball like Baker Mayfield or Mason Rudolph, I genuinely believe the dual-threat star is the best signal-caller of the Saban era? Hurts has completed a solid 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,406 yards with 10 touchdowns and just one interception.

Experience

Look, when it comes to postseason experience, Alabama is far and away ahead of the competition. Alabama has reached all three College Football Playoffs while also reaching the last two national championship games and winning it all two seasons ago against Clemson before falling to the Tigers last season. Prior to the current 2017-18 College Football Playoff format, Alabama won national titles under Saban in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015. When it comes to experience, only Clemson can come remotely close to challenging them if they reach the CFP for the third straight year this season. So there you have it. Three great reasons to back the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2017-18 College Football Playoff time!