Ole Miss vs. Alabama point spread: Picking Rebels vs. Crimson Tide
No. 13 Alabama enters Week 4 the most vulnerable ever after two uninspiring performances against Texas and USF, respectively.
The Crimson Tide get no time to take a breath as they host No. 15 Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide have jumped out as seven-point betting favorites, per Vegas Insider, but is that too generous after Alabama’s slow start to the season?
Barstool Sports’ Kayce Smith joined On3‘s Andy Staples to discuss her picks and predictions for the ranked SEC matchup. She didn’t sugarcoat things when it comes to her feelings for the Crimson Tide’s issues under center.
“This year, this statement feels real: If it’s going to happen for Lane Kiffin, it’s going to happen this year,” Smith told Staples. “I think that they are going to win this game outright — and I’m not saying Alabama is a bad football team. I’m not saying Ole Miss is entirely better than them, but what I do know for Alabama is that they have a problem at quarterback.
“Jalen Milroe wins the starting job, loses to Texas, had some good plays and had some god awful plays. Then they tried the other two guys out against USF, mighty struggled and now it’s like, nope, Jalen Milroe is the guy.”
The inconsistency at quarterback for Nick Saban’s squad isn’t shared by Kiffin and the Rebels. In fact, Smith pointed out that they have two quarterbacks in Jaxson Dart and Spencer Sanders that could start for almost any program in the country.
Dart, the starter, leads the team in both passing and rushing yards and has a combined 1,065 offensive yards to his credit through three games this season. Sanders hasn’t been awarded a fraction of the snaps he played as a four-year starter at Oklahoma State, but has still managed to complete nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns in his diminished role.
“I’m not saying that either of those guys are world-breaking great, quarterbacks, but they’re both proven as quarterbacks that they can get the job done,” Smith said. “… I think Alabama’s problems at quarterback run much deeper than wondering who’s going to be the guy. This offense is confused about their identity until they know who that guy is.”
As of Week 4, however, Nick Saban says Milroe is the guy until noted otherwise. He hasn’t played his best brand of football thus far, but sparks have been shown at times. When it works, he’s one of the most exciting QBs in the SEC having already thrown for a 49-yard pass and a 25-yard touchdown run on a broken play worthy of the SportsCenter Top 10.
Alabama isn’t looking for Milroe to outplay Dart or take over the show against Ole Miss. Instead, an efficient, game-managing approach to the matchup will be preferred by the Crimson Tide offensive strategy. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET live on CBS.