SDS Roundtable: Alabama's over/under is 10.5 wins. How many games will the Tide win in 2020?
Each SDS roundtable discussion involves the SDS staff providing individual answers and comments to questions covering a wide range of sports and non-sports topics. In this discussion, we ask the question: How many games will Alabama win in 2020?
A bit of background …
Nobody won more games in the 2010s than Alabama.
Nobody had more consecutive 10-win seasons than the Tide, either. The Tide’s streak actually is 12 years — longest active in the country and just 2 seasons behind FSU’s all-time record set from 1987-2000.
Our friends at BetOnline.ag don’t think it will end in 2020, either. They set the Tide’s over/under win total at 10.5. Too high? Too low?
Our staff weighs in on how many regular-season games Alabama will win in 2020.
Connor O’Gara, Senior national columnist
We’re coming off Nick Saban’s first season with multiple regular-season losses in 9 years. I’m not banking on that to happen in consecutive seasons. Instead, I’m banking on a team that should be significantly better defensively with the return of Dylan Moses. Alabama’s youth in the front 7 was a detriment often in 2019, but getting those players some experience will yield a much more prepared defense in 2020. And offensively, I don’t care who plays at quarterback. Alabama might have the best combination of receivers and tailbacks of anyone in college football.
The trip to LSU is daunting, but I think Alabama could stand to benefit from a bizarre offseason with that early matchup against a Georgia team with all sorts of turnover. An 11-1 season — even in that division – is plenty realistic. I’m not declaring the dynasty dead just yet.
Michael Bratton, News editor
I’m feeling confident in the under on this one. The betting public is always going to boost Alabama’s stock and this number is overvalued at 10.5.
I’ve got Georgia winning in Tuscaloosa next season and if that plays out, Alabama just has to lose 1 more game for the under to hit. I could see Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn all giving the Crimson Tide a game next season, and I think at least one of those teams, if not more, beat the Tide in 2020.
Take the under.
Chris Marler, The SDS Podcast co-host
Over. There are a lot of potential losses on the schedule, but as usual, I think Saban and Co. will avoid most, if not all, of them. By the end of last season, they had 6 defensive starters out and a Top 5 NFL Draft pick out at QB as well. And it still took 48 points, 2 pick-6s and a missed FG to cost them their 2nd loss of the regular season. Take the over.
Adam Spencer, Newsletter editor
I like that the number is at 10.5. If it were 11.5, I’d take the under, but I think the Crimson Tide will win 11 games this regular season. Somewhere along the line, they’ll slip up and take a loss, but they’ll get through the rest of the year without losing.
Some potential games to watch include the opener in Dallas against USC (QB Kedon Slovis is a sneaky Heisman pick), Week 3 against Georgia, Week 8 at Tennessee, Week 10 at LSU and then the 2-game home stretch against Texas A&M and Auburn to end the regular season. That’s 6 tough games. They’ll lose 1.
With Dylan Moses back in the middle of the defense and a Round 1 pick at corner in Patrick Surtain II, the Tide should be better on that side of the ball this year. It also helps that Joe Burrow, Joe Brady and the other key contributors to last year’s LSU juggernaut offense are gone. I’ll go 11 wins for the Tide this year.
Chris Wright, Executive editor
Again, I don’t gamble, but I don’t think anybody is beating Alabama this season.
I’d be more surprised if Georgia beat Alabama than if Alabama beat Georgia by double digits.
Copy and paste for LSU.
I think Alabama is going 12-0 for many of the reasons already noted. I’m higher on Mac Jones than most. There is absolutely no reason to take a chance on Bryce Young making mistakes when Jones already has proven he can find the end zone with regularity. But the biggest difference between this team and last year’s team will be on defense. Teams had their way with Alabama last season. I don’t remember writing or thinking that in any other season.
Hungry and healthy Alabama is always the most dangerous Alabama. Sign me up for a 12-0 season and return trip to Atlanta.
12-0.
Will schools play a full season? I see Bama losing 1 game.
JTF…Agreed. With Mac Jones Alabama now has that “Game Manager” Quarterback…as we’ve seen many years on Nick Saban coached Tide teams. And a possible good side effect is that the Defense hopefully will get more rest. Scoring a TD every possession in 1 1/2 minutes
is not the best option for the Defense. The Big-Uns need some Rest.
Alabama returns with a vengeance this year. The Tide is gonna want revenge on LSU and Auburn.
Love Michael Bratton’s take on UGA getting it done in T Town. I’m just not so confident. If that game were later in the season then maybe yes.
Alabama definitely over 10.5.
0-12
They haven’t posted the article for Auburn’s win total yet.. You’re a little early with that Auburn prediction.
The point is Auburn fans want Gus gone after this year. I get that! I am guessing Chad Morris might take over if Gus is fired before the season is over. That is what I probably see and then Morris get the Head coach job for next year.
Mood
8 win. And Saban retires. Book it.
Just kidding. 10 wins is the absolute floor. Wouldn’t be surprised if Bama went on a revenge tour and came roaring back after a “mediocre” 2019.
If I was putting money on it I would say the over. Between USC, UGA, Tenn, LSU, A&M or AU there’s going to be one. Which one? Not sure on that. However, if Mac Jones doesn’t produce like he did in those 4 games last year then it could be 2 losses or more. Also, yes there were injuries last year to front 7 but that secondary was suspect. With the way offenses are going now the back end needs to be much better. Throw is Leach this year and it doesn’t get easier.
Until proven otherwise I’d take the Over. While Bama and Saban May be declining they’re still dangerous to win it all and will always be a contender with Saban. One loss.
Over. They’ll take USC behind the woodshed and I don’t see them losing more than one out of UGA, LSU, Auburn, or TAMU.
I think it’s just under, they win 10.25 games
Eh, I think closer to 10.15
Ha! I don’t necessarily disagree though, you could be spot on.
Bama may lose one of UGA/AUB/A&M/LSU, but i don’t see them losing 2. Having UGA at home and early in the year makes me think Bama gets by them. OVER
12-0. Unless another Auburn game like last year where Saban complains to get rule change and wind up 11.75
I’ll hope for the under, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
11-1. We’ve got the momentum and I do not see us backing down. And oh yeah, we’ve got Bo Nix and Chad Morris. And a whole bunch of really good receivers. Also the defense is gonna be really good.
What momentum?
The Momentum is Chad Morris taking over for Gus as head coach. That means the end of Auburn streak of going to a bowl game!
Not to be toxic truelefty but for a team that was stripped of a bowl game, I wouldn’t be talking
We won the last Iron Bowl. We have a returning quarterback who’s pretty good. Chad Morris has developed receivers like Deandre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, and Courtland Sutton. Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz are next. That momentum…
Does the OC get credit for developing receivers? Or should that go to the receiver coach? Auburn has played teams tough the past years on account of their DL. They have some mighty big shoes to fill this year. If they can match the level of DL play from the past two years, Auburn will be a dangerous team. If not, 11 wins might be on the optimistic side. But Gus is Gus, so Auburn could win 8 games or 12, it’s hard to tell.
Can someone help me decide who I should route for in the Georgia vs Alabama game? lol
don’t know who you should route for, but if you want auburn to win their division then you should root for georgia
Good point
I would root for Alabama!
Georgia is not beating Alabama in Week 3, in Tuscaloosa, with a new OC, new offense, new QB and no spring practice. Alabama’s defense will be amazing next season with Dylan Moses back and all the playing time the true freshmen got last season. Which will allow for a balanced offense that eats more time of possession and gets Najee Harris 1,000 yards rushing.
They may lose in the SEC Championship or the CFP, but they go 12-0 in the regular season.
Obviously Alabama wins vs Georgia. But I’m still routing for UGA anyway. I’ve got Bama at 11-1. I think we can beat them with our momentum.
Odds and likely winner aside, Auburn always has a good chance to win in the Iron Bowl at home.
Obviously? Well, at the beginning of 2019 who would have guessed that Bama would lose to both LSU and Auburn in the regular season?
Just the fact that y’all have a new offense is why I say obviously
The say person that saw The gamecocks spanking UGA?
Same*
I’m confused now
I got them at 11-1. UGA isn’t walking into BD and winning early with a new patchwork offense. I think the Tide will lose 1 gm between LSU and Aub. Boy do I hope it’s the Bayou Bengals! We’ll see.
My biggest takeaway is Bratton! He picked the Tide to for sure lose 3 gms on a previous article ( UGA, A&M, and UT or Ole Mis) and he’s doubling down here! Heck, he said 4 losses were in play for the Tide! Someone should tell Bratton using “wishful thinking” isn’t a good method for predicting gms! Lol
The game has changed and Saban has changed with it. Great defense and ball control offense doesn’t win championships anymore. Mac Jones better be more than a game manager.
“Game manager” doesn’t mean he can’t throw the ball. And Alabama still has two of those wide receivers coming back from last year. But instead of slants that go for 80 yard TDs last year, you’re probably more likely next season to see the classic Alabama pounding the middle of the defense with Najee Harris, then the Amari Cooper-style deep post for the TD when the safeties are creeping up to stop the run.