2014
Alabama
Crimson Tide
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule
Alabama was a couple of fluke plays away from competing in yet another National Championship Game last season and you can be sure coach Nick Saban will use that Auburn Game as a motivational tool for the 2014 season. 5 Dimes sportsbook currently lists the Crimson Tide at +550, or a tad more than 5 to 1 to win the National Championship in 2014-2015, 2nd to only Florida State who is listed at +325.
Looking at the Alabama Schedule for 2014, you could make a case for the Tide once again rolling through their season with few big tests. Ole Miss, Auburn and LSU figure to put up a fight, Texas A&M is now without Johnny Football and it’s difficult to make much of a case for anyone else on the Tide dance card for this year.
But it is a new year, with new challenges for every team, including the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama returns just 12 starters this year, placing them among the bottom of all SEC teams in that department. However, returning starters to a recruiting giant like Alabama means very little. The defense figures to once again be among the best in the nation with the biggest concern on that unit being their secondary.
The offense will be interesting in 2014. AJ McCarron is gone and Saban has brought in LAne Kiffin to run the Tide offense, a move which no doubt has raised some eyebrows. The likely QB will be Blake Sims, a 5th year senior but he’ll have some competition for the job from Florida State transfer Jacob Coker. Whoever gets the job will be playing in back of an offensive line with two new faces. again, that may be a big deal some places, but not for the Tide.
Saban feels the team got complacent last season. Entitled. Not so sure that was the case. Heck, they were 11-0 before the Auburn miracle. But it’s safe to say they didn’t show up for their bowl Game with Oklahoma, losing 45-31 as 17 point favorites and as mentioned above, that will serve as a great motivational tool for this season.
Regardless of how the Alabama season goes, circle November 29th on your calendar. That’s the date the Tide will host Auburn. Now that my friends, is what you call a revenge Game! Other than that big revenge Game though, we’ll likely find very few spots to bet the Tide in 2014. You can expect them to be the recipients of iNFLated lines week in and week out, especially if they dismantle West Virginia and Florida Atlantic as expected in their first two Games.
2014 Alabama Football Schedule
Aug. 30 West Virginia Atlanta, Georgia
Sept. 6 Florida Atlantic Bryant-Denny Stadium
Sept. 13 Southern Miss Bryant-Denny Stadium
Sept. 20 *Florida Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 4 *at Ole Miss Oxford, Mississippi
Oct. 11 *at Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas
Oct. 18 *Texas A&M Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 25 *at Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee
Nov. 8 *at LSU Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Nov. 15 *Mississippi State Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 22 Western Carolina Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 29 *Auburn Bryant-Denny Stadium