South Carolina vs Alabama Odds - Gamecocks have puncher's chance but will still get knocked out
The South Carolina vs Alabama odds pits two of the best teams in the SEC against each other, and while no one expect the Gamecocks to win, nobody expected them to be this good to begin with. Online betting fans know that as long as the Tide don’t have a clunker, they are going to dominate South Carolina.
South Carolina vs Alabama odds: Alabama -17
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South Carolina vs Alabama odds maker breakdown: What’s On The Line
The South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1, 2-1) have been impressive so far this season by setting a 5-1 mark early on, but they have yet to face anyone like Alabama. The Gamecocks are a very young team and are setting a good foundation for competing in the future - maybe as early as next year - yet considering they have only played two road games to this point, they are a tough team to trust right now. The Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0, 2-0) leapfrogged the Texas Longhorns this weekend and are now the No. 2 team in the nation. NCAAF betting fans are already clamoring that the Tide have looked like the best team in the country, and considering they have already topped Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Kentucky, South Carolina probably won’t show them anything they haven’t seen. Betting Edge: Alabama
South Carolina vs Alabama odds maker breakdown: Offense
The South Carolina offense has come to life with the maturation of Stephen Garcia. Garcia has done some growing this year and he has the makings of a fairly good SEC quarterback, but he still makes mistakes, turning it over two times last week. The receiving corps looks strong with the emergence of Alshon Jeffery, but again, it’s an area where the team is talented yet lacking experience. The Gamecocks don’t run the ball particularly well, which could spell trouble for them in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide offense isn’t the flashiest unit in college football but they get the job done. As a matter of fact, they get the job done every week. The Tide have a big powerful offensive line with a good ground game in the hands of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. Also, quarterback Greg McIlroy makes smart throws and makes clutch throws when the team needs him. This is a very efficient offense. Betting Edge: Alabama
South Carolina vs Alabama odds maker breakdown: Defense
The Gamecocks defense has been up and down this year, which is a bad sign as they head out on the road. They were gashed by both Georgia and Kentucky, allowing a total of 67 points in those two contests, but they also held North Carolina State and Ole Miss to a combined 13 points in two other games. On the road in Alabama, more of the former performances will probably surface, rather than the latter. Meanwhile, sportsbook odds makers know that the Tide defense is among the best in the business. The Tide are allowing just 12.5 points per game this season and they have stifled almost everyone they have played. With a huge defensive line and playmakers in the back seven, this defense is hard to score and that will be evident on Saturday. They should also force a couple of turnovers from the sloppy Gamecocks. Betting Edge: Alabama
South Carolina vs Alabama odds maker breakdown: Notable Injuries
The tide will be without linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who is out for the year. The Tide are still reshuffling their linebacking corps to replace him. Betting Edge: South Carolina
South Carolina vs Alabama State betting breakdown: Outlook and Pick
At home, South Carolina is 4-0, but in their two road games, they lost 41-37 at Georgia and won 7-3 at North Carolina State. To give you some insight, Duke won by 21 at North Carolina State this week. While the records are similar, these teams are in two different classes and Alabama will roll this weekend. TONY’S PICK: Alabama -17
For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit us in the betonline.com Betting Edge every day. For more on the South Carolina vs Alabama matchup, check out our stats center. Tony Bryant is one of betonline.com's college football experts.
