The No. 16 (AP) Arkansas Razorbacks along with leading Heisman Trophy candidate junior RB Darren McFadden travel to Alabama Saturday for a game with the Crimson Tide in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on the campus of the University of Alabama for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. The Razorbacks are getting very little respect from oddsmakers at Bodog.com having been installed a +3 ½ point underdog with a 47 ½ total. Sportbetting.com is offering Arkansas at +3 ATS with +140 money line juice while Alabama has a -160 ml price.
The Razorbacks are 1-0 on the year after defeating Troy 46-26 on September 1 and taking last week off as their bye. Arkansas ran for 350 yards in the win over Troy and currently lead the nation in that category. Arkansas’ offense features two talented running backs, McFadden and Felix Jones, who combined for over 2,700 rushing yards in 2006.
“They’ve got two outstanding, outstanding running backs,” Alabama first year head coach Nick Saban said at his weekly press conference. “These two guys, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, if they’re not first round draft picks, I don’t know what is; both of them. Both guys gained well over 1,000 yards last year. They’re versatile. They’re very dangerous on kickoff returns as well. They’ve both been back there and they’ve both had big returns. It’s going to be a real challenge to us from that standpoint.”
The Crimson Tide (2-0) will be eager to avenge last year's double-overtime loss to Arkansas. The Razorbacks won that game 24-23, and were fortunate. Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin missed a 30-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter and a 37-yarder that would have won it in the first overtime. Then he missed an extra point after Alabama scored in the second extra session.
The Alabama running game has been solid , led by redshirt freshman Terry Grant, who leads the league in rushing. Grant has 42 carries for 307 yards (7.2 average) and five touchdowns in wins over Western Carolina and Vanderbilt. Grant leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally with 153.5 rushing yards per game. He is second in the SEC and sixth nationally in scoring with 15 points per game.
Point-Spreads.com award winning handicapper Reno Goldberg is red-hot with his college football picks through week-two going 10-4-0 (7-3 ATS, 3-1 totals) for a sizzling 71% winning average. Reno guarantees at least 7-picks per week in his weekly picks package that can be found right here. Don’t miss out; week three begins Thursday.
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