Updated
Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 19
Alabama Opens as 19.5-Point Favorite Over Florida State as Tide Seek Revenge for 31-17 Upset
Updated
Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 19

Alabama Opens as 19.5-Point Favorite Over Florida State as Tide Seek Revenge for 31-17 Upset

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Sep 19

Summary

  • Alabama enters Saturday’s Week 3 game in Tuscaloosa as a -19.5 favorite, with the moneyline at -1350 and the total at 49.5.
  • The line reflects sharply different starts: the Crimson Tide are 2-0 after erasing a halftime deficit to beat Kentucky 45-17, while Florida State is 1-1 and coming off an SMU loss.
  • Florida State’s pressure has intensified after athletic director Michael Alford was fired following Week 2, leaving coach Mike Norvell under heavy scrutiny despite a 2023 season that finished 13-1.
  • The matchup is a rematch of Florida State’s 31-17 win over Alabama in 2025, but this time Alabama is at home and is expected to control the trenches and run game.
  • SportsLine’s model, which simulates games 10,000 times, leans to Over 48.5 points, projecting enough offensive improvement from both sides to clear last year’s total.

Insights

After surviving a shaky start last week, can Alabama's quarterback exploit Florida State's chaotic environment to secure a massive blowout victory?
Will Alabama's quest for revenge expose Florida State's vulnerable defense, or can the Seminoles shock the heavily favored Crimson Tide again?
Can Mike Norvell save his job, or will Alabama's historically dominant defense completely dismantle a crumbling Florida State program in Tuscaloosa?