Texas vs Alabama Prediction - College Football Picks 9/9/23

• Jonathan Brooks got the first crack at replacing Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, and he rushed for 52 yards on 12 carries in the win over the Owls, while also catching a 37-yard touchdown pass.

• Xavier Worthy led the wideout room with seven catches for 90 receiving yards in the Week 1 victory, while senior receiver Jordan Whittington added four receptions for 47 yards.

• Junior tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders caught a 44-yard touchdown pass.

• The Texas defense held Rice to 4/13 on third downs, while allowing just 176 yards of total offense.

Alabama Crimson Tide Preview

Alabama enters at 1-0 after beginning the season with a 56-7 win over Middle Tennessee State at home. New quarterback, no problem for the Crimson Tide as they scored multiple touchdowns in each quarter en route to a lopsided victory over the Blue Raiders. The Alabama offense gained 431 total yards, passing for 226 yards, while gaining 205 yards on the ground.

Alabama Player Notes

• Jalen Milroe looked good in his first game as the QB1 for Alabama, gaining 194 yards through the air, while rushing for 48 yards, and amassed five total touchdowns (3 pass, 2 rush). Milroe looked a lot like another former Jalen from Texas to don a Crimson Tide uniform, and he’ll look to show the nation he’s the real deal here against his home state.

• Milroe led the squad in rushing during the win over MTSU, but returning backs Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams performed well with their touches. McClellan found the endzone and gained 39 yards, while Williams turned seven carries into 36 yards.

• Sophomore wideout Isaiah Bond looks set for a bigger role this season after leading the Tide with five catches for 76 receiving yards in the opener. Both Bond and senior receiver Jermaine Burton both caught touchdown passes, while the senior pass catcher finished with three catches for 62 yards.

• The Bama defense held Middle Tennessee to 6/16 on third downs, while allowing just 211 total yards.

Texas vs Alabama Trends

• Alabama has won each of its last 21 games at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

• Alabama has won the first half in 12 of its last 13 games against non-conference opponents.

• Each of Texas' last five games as an underdog against top-5 AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.

Corey’s Free Pick

Texas nearly shocked the world last season by handing Alabama a loss in Austin in one of the most watched sporting events of all-time, but things may be a bit different this time around. The Longhorns won’t have the comfortability of playing in front of their home crowd at DKR, and instead they’ll have to battle the Tide on their turf, where they haven’t lost in nearly three seasons. As a Texas fan, I love the respect on the margin, but from a betting standpoint it could potentially be a beautiful spot for Bama at home. The push may make things troubling, but let’s bet on Nick Saban and Alabama to handle business at home for this heavyweight battle.