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Carrie Stroup here with your Arkansas vs. Alabama betting odds for Week 4 of the 2011 College Football season.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Alabama -11 &50.5
Opening Line & Total: Alabama -12.5 & 51
After beating up non-BCS opponents for three weeks, No. 14 Arkansas is tasked with playing a road game against what could be the best team in the nation in No. 3 Alabama.
Arkansas gave the Tide a scare in Fayetteville last year, leading by 13 in the second half before Alabama came back. But this is a much different team with QB Tyler Wilson now running the offense, and the Hogs only beat Troy by 10 points last week after leading 31-7 in the third quarter. Alabama has already handled a formidable opponent on the road, winning by 16 at Penn State two weeks ago. The Tide are 6-3 ATS at home since last year as Bryant-Denny Stadium continues to be one of the toughest places to play.
Arkansas has to quickly forget the way it played in the second half last week, when Wilson threw an interception returned for a TD and the offense had four three-and-outs. Wilson, who is trying to fill the shoes of the departed Ryan Mallett, still completed 23-of-36 passes for 303 yards and two scores against the Trojans. RB Ronnie Wingo Jr. is also doing his best to replace injured Knile Davis, as Wingo Jr. has 182 rushing yards (5.7 YPC) and 2 TD in his past two games. He doesn’t expect to chew up much ground against Alabama’s tremendous run-stop unit, which held Arkansas to 127 yards on 46 carries (2.8 YPC) in the past two meetings. That’s where the group of talented Hogs receivers comes in. Cobi Hamilton and Joe Adams (28 rec, 450 yds, 2 TD combined) must continue to get open, as Greg Childs (personal) and Jarius Wright (knee) could both be sidelines again when Saturday arrives.
In contrast to the Razorbacks trying to air out the football, the Tide will be content to pound the pigskin on the ground. RB Trent Richardson already has eight rushing touchdowns this year, including three scores and 167 yards on just 11 carries (15.2 YPC) against North Texas. Richardson has 191 total yards and a pair of scores in two career meetings with Arkansas. After throwing two interceptions in the season opener, A.J. McCarron has settled down nicely, completing 34-of-52 passes (65.4%) for 353 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT in his past two games. The only negative about Alabama’s defense is its lack of turnovers, with just four takeaways in three games.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
