It has been a while since the Crimson Tide suffered a loss this early in the season, however, the Crimson Tide lost last week at home against the Texas Longhorns and will be looking to bounce back following that loss as they travel to take on the South Florida Bulls in week 3 of the college football season. 

Alabama is 1-1 this season following a win in week 1 at home against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders by a score of 56-7 and a loss at home against the Texas Longhorns in week 2 by a score of 24-34. The South Florida Bulls enter this game with a record of 1-1 following a loss on the road in week 1 against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers by a score of 24-41 and a win at home against the Florida A&M Rattlers by a score of 38-24. 

Will the Crimson Tide bounce back and win in a rout on the road or will the Bulls keep the game closer than expected? Let’s take a deeper dive into how these teams are performing this season.

The Alabama Crimson Tide enter this game ranked 10^th in the AP Poll and 10^th in the Coaches Poll with a record of 1-1 following a 24-34 loss at home against the Texas Longhorns while failing to cover the 7-point spread as a home favorite. Alabama scored 24 points while compiling 362 total yards offensively which included 255 passing yards and 107 rushing yards while allowing 34 points and 454 total yards defensively which included 349 passing yards and 105 rushing yards. 

Jalen Milroe led the team in passing, completing 14 of 27 attempts for 255 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 44 rushing yards. Jase McClellan led the team in rushing with 12 attempts for 45 yards while adding a reception for 12 yards. Kobe Prentice led the team in receiving, catching five of six targets for 68 yards.

South Florida enters this game with a record of 1-1 following a 38-24 win at home against the Florida A&M Rattlers while failing to cover the 20-point spread as a home favorite in week 2 of the college football season. The Bulls scored 38 points while compiling 323 total yards offensively which included 217 passing yards and 106 rushing yards while allowing 24 points and 393 total yards defensively which included 374 passing yards and 19 rushing yards. 

Byrum Brown led the team in passing, completing 20 of 34 attempts for 180 yards and three touchdowns while adding 23 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Michael Dukes led the team in rushing with 13 carries for 38 yards while adding a reception for 39 yards. Sean Atkins led the team in receiving, catching five of six targets for 57 yards. 

BookMaker has the Alabama Crimson Tide listed as 31-point favorites on the road against the South Florida Bulls on Saturday afternoon in week 3 of the college football season. These teams have only played one other time before this matchup which occurred in 2003 and resulted in a 40-17 win for Alabama as well as the Crimson Tide covering as 14.5-point favorites at home. Alabama is 1-1 ATS overall and 1-1 ATS as a favorite this season while the South Florida Bulls are 0-2 ATS overall, 0-1 ATS at home, and 0-1 ATS as an underdog this year.

Alabama will be out for blood in this matchup and I don’t see South Florida being able to even keep the game close as Nick Saban will have this team focused after last week’s defeat at home against the Texas Longhorns. I look for Alabama to get the win and I look for the Crimson Tide to win by 40 or more points which is why I will be taking the Alabama Crimson Tide -31 on the road against the South Florida Bulls on BookMaker for this matchup on Saturday afternoon.