It is College Football Saturday. It is Texas versus Alabama. It is… an incredibly down-bad day for college football bettors.
Don’t get me wrong, the battle in Austin has been a great college football game so far. Texas and ‘Bama are all even at the half. But Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide were supposed to be rolling right through Texas.
Alabama’s first-half line was initially -11.5, which was backed big time by the public prior to today’s game. And when I say “backed big time,” I may be underselling it.
According to Max Meyer of Caesars Sportsbook, the 11.5-point spread received almost a consensus backing from the public and eventually caused a 2.5-point bump in favor of the Crimson Tide.
Alabama first-half spread (-11.5 at Texas) has gotten over twice as much money as every other first-half spread side combined on the entire Week 2 CFB slate at @CaesarsSports.
Alabama 1H spread has drawn 99.5% tickets and 99.9% handle among all 1H spread bets for Alabama-Texas.
— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) September 8, 2022
As Alabama running back Jace McClellan ran one down the field for 81 yards and a score to put the Tide up by a touchdown, it appeared the line may have some life.
But the ‘Horns, without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, responded with a score to tie things up at 10 before halftime.
Tough break for first-half bettors. Hopefully, it wasn’t their only play.