College Football: Vanderbilt vs Alabama Odds, Analysis, & Picks

Vanderbilt will be looking to pull off the upset for the second season in a row against Alabama when they travel to Tuscaloosa on Saturday, October 4. The kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 pm ET. The No. 16-ranked Commodores are one of the top teams in the SEC and have yet to lose a game this season. As for the No. 10 Crimson Tide, they’re 3-1 and managed to beat Georgia last weekend in a classic showdown. Read on for the Alabama vs Vanderbilt picks.

Odds provided by Sports Interaction.

Vanderbilt vs Alabama Odds

Bama heads into this matchup with -425 moneyline odds. They’re also a 10.5-point favorite at online betting sites. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, sits as a +325 road underdog.

The Commodores took down Alabama 40-35 last season in Nashville, their first victory against the Crimson Tide since 1984.

Vanderbilt vs Alabama Analysis

Vanderbilt used to be one of the worst teams in the SEC. But, things have changed drastically, and they now have a target on their back, sitting as one of five unbeaten teams in this powerhouse conference. The Commodores haven’t faced the toughest opponents over the last two weeks, beating Georgia State and Utah State. However, prior to that, they did beat Virginia Tech and South Carolina, blowing out both programs.

Clark Lea’s squad is shining offensively, with quarterback Diego Pavia leading the charge. He’s completed 74.6% of his passes for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns against three interceptions, averagign 242.2 yards per game. Vanderbilt’s offense is fourth in the country in points with 49 per game, and 14th in total yards. But, they will face their toughest test yet, as Alabama’s defense is only allowing 16.5 points per contest. Pavia and Co. will need to be at their best.

Bama continues to develop in the post-Nick Saban era in Kalen DeBoer’s second year in Tuscaloosa. After missing out on the expanded College Football Playoff last season, the Tide will be looking to turn around their fortunes this year. While a loss to Florida State in Week 1 was a step in the opposite direction, they’ve won three straight since, capped off by an impressive win over bitter rivals, Georgia.

Ty Simpson had a great game under center, completing 24 of 38 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Bama will have some serious momentum heading into Saturday’s matchup, and there will also be no shortage of motivation after the upset loss in Nashville last season. A key to victory will be to slow down Vanderbilt’s run game, which has been phenomenal thanks to Pavia, Sedrick Alexander, and Makhilyn Young.

Vanderbilt vs Alabama Picks

Bama is playing well and again, they will be hungry to right their wrongs from the 2024 game against Vanderbilt. I believe the hosts will come out and make a statement. With a perfect 5-0 ATS record in their last five home games, I’ll take the Crimson Tide to cover.

Pick: Alabama -10.5 (-110)/Sports Interaction