2 Best College Football Bets and Player Props for Alabama at Missouri

The gauntlet for SEC teams has officially begun, and there isn't a bigger matchup in the conference this weekend than Saturday's bout between the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide and No. 14 Missouri Tigers. Alabama has found its groove since slipping in their season opener versus the Florida State Seminoles, and this is going to be Missouri's toughest test to date.

Can the Crimson Tide's offense continue firing on all cylinders, or will the Tigers' defense prove they are for real? Let's take a look at which bets and player props stand out for Saturday's Alabama-Missouri contest that kicks off at noon ET.

All college football betting odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Alabama at Missouri Betting Picks

Alabama Over 27.5 Points (-112)

This isn't the Alabama team of yesteryear that relies on a physical rushing attack when they have the football, as they are only 69th in expected points added per carry (0.02) and 101st in yards per carry (4.62). However, since having a shaky performance in Week 1 where he completed only 53.5% of his passes in the loss to Florida State, quarterback Ty Simpson has been one of the better signal-callers in the nation.

Aside from Simpson ranking 13th in QBR (82.2) and 7th in total passing expected points added (35.0) among college quarterbacks, the Crimson Tide have climbed all the way up to 7th in expected points added per drop back (0.41), 22nd in yards per drop back (8.63), and 9th in passing success rate (53.5%) while scoring 30-plus points in three of their last four games. The only game Alabama fell short of achieving 28-plus points during that span was during their 24-21 road win over the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs.

Even though Missouri's defense is 13th in expected points added per play allowed (-0.19) and 5th in success rate allowed (32.0%), I'm a bit skeptical that they are that good, as the best offense they've faced this season was the Kansas Jayhawks -- and they surrendered 31 points in that matchup.

With Simpson and Alabama's aerial attack showing signs of improvement each week, I'll back the Crimson Tide to produce 28-plus points on the road.

Ryan Williams Over 67.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

Once again, the strength of Alabama's offense is their aerial attack, and their passing game could take an even bigger step forward if standout receiver Ryan Williams can clean up his issues in the drops department. According to PFF, Williams is tied for the most drops (6) in the nation, and the young wideout has been making a concerted effort in practice to remedy the issue.

Along with expecting Williams to move past dropping the ball so often, he's still putting up stellar numbers this season, logging the second-most targets (31), second-most receptions (21), second-most receiving yards (336), and most yards per route run (3.08) despite missing a game. The sophomore receiver is also tallying 16.0 yards per reception, so he's still creating explosive plays down the field like he did a season ago.

At the moment, Simpson is getting a ton of respect from the books with his passing yards prop line hovering at 285.5, and if he approaches that number, Williams is likely going to be a big part of it. While Williams has popped up on the injury report, he's listed as probable, so it doesn't appear to be anything that will keep him sidelined for a crucial SEC contest.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.