The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will battle the fifth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide for the college football season opener on Saturday, August 31 at 7:00 PM ET at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Crimson Tide are heavily favored with a point spread at -31.5 (-110).
The Hilltoppers are coming from an 8-5 season, during which they went 5-3 in Conference USA. They went 3-3 in six games on the road, which puts them in a tough spot for their confidence to start the year.
They had solid momentum to start the previous season, winning their first two games. But that quickly ended against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who demolished them with a 63-10 outing.
Despite painful losses like that, the Hilltoppers had respectable passing on offense. This will continue this season since they have a core of talent to play with but do not have their returning quarterback.
The offensive line is stout, but the running game is essentially nonexistent. The passing game will be crucial against a strong Crimson Tide defense, which will make it difficult to make it happen.
The Crimson Tide finished their 2023-24 season with a 12-2 record overall and went undefeated through eight games in SEC play. They were 6-1 in home games, so they have shown success in Tuscaloosa.
Losing head coach Nick Saban to retirement is a huge loss for the program. While they will likely recover sooner rather than later, it will be tough to fill in his shoes. The good news is that they have the clientele to make the transition seamless.
One player who can make a huge impact this season will be quarterback Jalen Milroe, who returns to the roster. He has exceptional passing ability and should boost the offense. The team will need to improve running the ball if it wants to have an all-around offensive attack.
Even though their passing success should be the focal point, they might show instances of running the ball to work on that aspect of their game against a weaker defensive team. They have some wiggle room to play with this since the Hilltoppers will struggle to pass against the Crimson Tide's defense.
MyBookie brings you the college football betting odds in the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide matchup. The Crimson Tide is favored, currently 31.5-point favorites to win at home.
According to market analysis, the Crimson Tide are 97.4 percent likely to win the opener. Look for them to win and cover the spread against a weaker defensive unit from the Hilltoppers.
