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.
