The Sugar Bowl matchup between Alabama (12-1) of the SEC and Utah (12-0) of the MWC is perceived by pundits and oddsmakers as a huge mismatch for all kinds of reasons. And Utes players have heard them all as they prepared for the game this past week in New Orleans. To put it mildly, the Utah Utes are suffering from a huge case of lack of respect coming into tonight’s game.
Sports odds experts at online sportsbook SBGglobal.com have installed the Crimson Tide as 9 ½-chalk favorites ATS with a moneyline price of -360. For those fading Alabama can get +300 moneyline juice taking the Utes. The betting total is holding at 45.
The Sugar Bowl will feature two of the nation's stingiest defensive teams. Alabama ranks sixth in scoring defense (13.0), while Utah is 12th (17.2). On offense, Utah is ranked 15th in scoring (37.42) and Alabama is No. 30 (31.15).
Utah has more wins against BCS schools (15) since 2000 than any other non-automatic qualifying BCS school. The Utes are 15-10 against BCS teams since 2000, 10-3 since 2004 and 2-0 this year. Since the BCS began in 1998, Utah is tied for the most wins (16) against BCS teams by a non-BCS team.
So what will transpire when these two teams play Friday night? Sports-Odds.com predicts the game will be closer than what many folks think. For one, playing a team from a BCS conference is not unfamiliar territory for the Utes who enjoyed wins over the likes of Oregon State and Michigan this season.
Alabama will face its own problems moving the ball against an excellent Utes defense. It’s a real stretch for oddsmakers to set the betting spread out too far like it already is. Its hard not to buy all the hype but that’s all it is..hype. Alabama will probably pull out a SU win but we (Sports-Odds.com) like the Utes +9 ½.
