Pinnacle   +11  -110   BET365  +11 -110  Sportsinteraction  +11 -110  888port  +11 -110

Posted at 8:00 AM ET. Odds are subject to change

SOUTH CAROLINA +11 over Alabama

Williams-Brice Stadium – Columbia, SC

3:30 PM ET. If you ask many analysts, they’ll tell you that Alabama may actually be the best team in the country. They’ll point to what the Tide have done over the last month — knocking off four consecutive ranked opponents, including two tough road wins. They ended Georgia’s 33-game win streak in Athens, took care of business against Vanderbilt 30–14 in Tuscaloosa, went into Missouri and survived 27–24, and most recently, handled Tennessee 37–20. Alabama has gone 5-0-1 against the spread in its last six, and ever since that opening loss to Florida State, the Tide have been ticking all the boxes.

However, context matters. At Georgia, the Bulldogs had every opportunity to win before self-inflicted mistakes did them in. Missouri had the same opportunity before turnovers flipped the game on its head and allowed the escape. Against Vanderbilt, what looked like a comfortable margin was inflated by a late touchdown. The Dores played with Alabama for a full four. And against Tennessee, what could have been a two-point margin at the half turned into a 16-point deficit after a single ill-timed interception flipped the entire contest on the back of poor play calling. Variance has been very kind to Alabama — and that kindness has made the Tide look more dominant than they might truly be.

South Carolina, on the other hand, has been one of this year’s biggest disappointments at 3–4, with wins over Virginia Tech, South Carolina State, and Kentucky — none of which encourage optimism. Against quality opponents, the Gamecocks have fallen short every time, capped by a blowout loss to Oklahoma last week in Columbia. On the surface, this looks like another easy fade. But this is precisely the spot where appearances deceive.

Last year, South Carolina nearly upset Alabama, coming within a failed two-point conversion of altering the playoff race and perhaps a chance to beat the Tide in T-Town. That loss has lingered, and it’s not far-fetched to think the Gamecocks were looking ahead to this rematch, even against OU last week. Now, back at home, in front of a charged-up crowd, they get their shot at redemption. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers gives South Carolina a physical, mobile presence who can exploit Alabama’s one defensive weakness — containing the run.

He is like another Tommy Castellanos and we saw what he did to Alabama in Tallahassee back on August 30th. The Gamecocks’ front seven still packs a punch, and their pass rush can make life difficult for “Heisman favorite” Ty Simpson and company. We use the quotations because the rhetoric is at its summit and this sets up Carolina as a live underdog in an inflated spot. South Carolina not only has the tools to stay inside the number — they have the ingredients to shock the Tide outright. Grab the points.

Take advantage of BET365's early MLB payout offer! 

For straight bets, if the team you back to win goes 5 runs ahead at any stage during the game, BET365 will pay out your bet in full regardless of whether the opposition comes back to win the game.

For parlays and Same Game Parlays, if a team you have backed goes 5 runs ahead, this selection will be marked as won within My Bets, with the remaining selections left to run.

Here is a wager we were paid out early on that would eventually lose. 

v