Are we missing something? The National Championship is set with No. 3 Georgia facing No. 1 Alabama (+3) on Jan. 10… and the Bulldogs are favored to win by three points?! Even after Bama beat Georgia just a month ago, 41-24?!

Despite Bama’s pedigree and Saban’s dominance, the other SEC team is the top Dawg (pun intended). Both teams handled their opponents in the semifinal, Georgia albeit with a more impressive smashing of alleged challenger Michigan, 34-11. The Tide rolled over Cincy, in a less convincingly convincing win, 27-6.

What does Bama’s underdog status mean for bettors?

• Alabama has been the underdog a mere six occasions under head coach Nick Saban (since 2008) prior to this season’s title game

  • The Tide has won five of those games – the loss was 2008’s SEC title game vs. Florida

• Bama is a dog for the second time since 2015 – both of those games were wins against Georgia 

• The Crimson Tide have beat their last two opponents (No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Cincy) by a combined score of 68-30

• Saban’s 29-14 career record in top-five contests earns him a .674 winning percentage, good for college football’s best

• This contest marks the 5th time two teams are playing top-5 matchups in the same season

  • Each time the winner of the first game lost the second game by 20+ points

Our takeaway

Alabama at +125 (bet $100 → win $125) looks mighty tasty with Saban’s resume and QB Bryce Young starring under center. The first-year leader already boasts a hefty trophy case as Heisman winner, AP CFB Player of Year, Maxwell Award Winner ( top player), Davey O’Brien Winner (top QB), and SEC Offensive Player of Year. If you’re not sold, maybe wait until after the Tide’s first possession, as Bama has won 48 of its last 49 games when scoring a touchdown on the first offensive drive.