Alabama vs. Arkansas Odds and Pick: September 25th, 2010

College football betting will hit a fevered pitch this weekend as all eyes will be on a five star SEC showdown. The defending BCS champs and top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide cross state lines to take on tenth ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.

Vegas currently has the Alabama vs. Arkansas point spread at Tide (-7) and the ‘total’ is a lofty 56.5 points.

Bama is currently riding a 17 game win streak; even more impressive, they are 21-9 against the spread (ATS) over their last 30 games. No wonder over 80% of the money on this game is currently backing the Tide.

No doubt, Arkansas is always a tough place to play; they last lost in front of their home crowd in Week 2 of last season. However, Bama has been extra generous to bettors when they are on the road recently. Over the last three seasons they are 8-1 ATS away from home, including a 7-1 ATS record when they were playing as a road favorite.

Alabama has the most potent rushing attack around led by last year’s Heisman winner Mark Ingram. After missing his first two games this season, Ingram churned out 151 yards and two scores last week in his 2010 debut versus Duke. Backing up Ingram is Trent Richardson who already has compiled 271 yards and four touchdowns in three games.

This is bad news for Arkansas bettors as Georgia proved last week that the Razorback defense can be run on. Bulldogs running back was able average 4.8 yards per carry en route to 87 rushing yards and a score.

IF Alabama was going to have a weakness this season it would have been their defense, considering they lost many starters from last year’s squad. However, the subs have filled in quite nicely so far as they have allowed a total of 19 points in three games. That includes just three points to then 18^th ranked Penn State.

Arkansas quarterback and Heisman candidate Ryan Mallett is off to a great start. We’ll all see if he is a true contender for college football’s most prestigious individual award tomorrow as he takes on a Crimson Tide defense that allows just 132.7 passing yards per game. In their meeting last season Mallett was downright dreadful completing just 12 of 35 passes for 160 yards.

Oddsauthority.com Alabama vs. Arkansas Pick: Crimson Tide -7