Saturday Selections: Week 4 SEC Picks Against the Spread
Sep 13, 2014; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles during the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 52-12. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Florida at #3 Alabama (-15), 2:30pm CT, CBS
The Florida Gators are 2-0 and are averaging 50.5 points per game. All is right with the world. Right? Well, let’s wait until the Gators’ first road trip of the season, which will take them to Tuscaloosa and a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
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Florida has looked much, much better on offense so far in 2014, but the team has wins over cupcake Eastern Michigan and SEC bottom feeder Kentucky (even though the Wildcats are also looking much better early this year). The defense struggled in the second half against UK, but played well enough to win and is still a force to be reckoned with.
The defense will have its hands full with an Alabama offense that has gotten better and better each week under quarterback Blake Sims and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. In three games, the Tide has scored 33, 41 and 52 points and are averaging a very balances 298 passing yards and 270.3 rushing yards per contest.
Sims has thrown for 646 yards and four touchdowns and seems to have put some distance between himself and challenger Jacob Coker. Alabama has one of the best playmakers in the nation in wide receiver Amari Cooper, and one of the most talented backfields as well.
Expect this game to be close early as the two teams feel one another out. Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his counterpart, Will Muschamp, know each other very well, and both will have their teams prepared and ready to play. However, in the fourth quarter, the Alabama talent will push the game out of reach and the Tide will cover late.
Alabama 31, Florida 14