Georgia Southern vs. Alabama: Latest Spread Info, BCS Impact and Predictions

Every year, the Alabama Crimson Tide play a warm-up game before the Iron Bowl, and the lucky team in 2011 will be one of the top teams in the Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA—the Georgia Southern Eagles.

The Eagles are unknown to most college football fans because they don’t play in the FBS, but they have dominated the Southern Conference this season with a 9-1 overall record, 7-1 in conference play. They won’t get much more out of this experience than some national exposure and money.

The Crimson Tide are still trying to make their case to the BCS to play in the national championship game, and they will look like aces in this game because this is nothing more than a glorified exhibition that won’t help them in the standings at all. It’s basically a way to get their fans together for an afternoon of fun.

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

When: Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Watch: ESPN3.com

Spread: Alabama (-45)

The beauty of one of the best Bowl Subdivision teams taking on a team in the Championship Subdivision is you will get spreads like this, which would normally seem outlandish but actually might be conservative considering the gap in talent.

Alabama is going to run wild over Georgia Southern in this game. The only question is how soon do they take their foot off the gas pedal. If it is after the second quarter, Georgia Southern could cover the spread. If it is anytime later than that, it will be very difficult to envision them being closer than 45 points.

Over/Under: 50

Since Alabama is going to do most if not all of the scoring in this game, it all comes down to how much you believe they are going to score.

I think 50 sounds about right, but I will go slightly lower than that because I think if they get up by 40 they will call the dogs off and will fall short of breaking the over/under total.

Georgia Southern Injury Report

None.

Alabama Injury Report

Questionable: OL Barrett Jones (Ankle), RB Brent Calloway (Suspension)

Out: OL Arie Kouandjio (Knee), WR Duron Carter (Eligibility), RB Dee Hart (Knee)

BCS/Top-25 Poll Implications

This is an interesting game from Alabama’s standpoint. It literally means nothing if the Crimson Tide win. Because Georgia Southern is in the Championship Subdivision, it won’t count toward Alabama's ranking with the BCS and top-25 polls.

However, if Alabama loses, any hope it has of playing for a national championship or in a BCS game evaporates. So it actually does mean nothing and everything at the same time.

Keys to Georgia Southern Win

Prayer, I guess.

Playing Alabama is hard enough for FBS schools, much less a team that has not played against an FBS school all season. Stranger things have happened, like the United States defeating Russia in the 1980 Olympics, but this would be one of the biggest upsets in the history of college football.

There is as much a chance of this team winning this game as there is of Brooklyn Decker divorcing Andy Roddick, showing up at my doorstep and proposing marriage to me.

Keys to Alabama Win

Don’t make stupid mistakes and play their game. That sounds as generic as any analysis you will ever read, but seriously, do you think that Georgia Southern has a chance?

Trent Richardson will run wild, AJ McCarron should have his best game of the season and the defense will dominate an inferior team.

This game is going to be nothing more than a practice for them and a way to get them ready for Auburn next week.

Prediction

Georgia Southern fans, hide your eyes.

Crimson Tide 49, Eagles 0