Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS Alabama Crimson Tide: Football Betting Lines

Smelling Them Texas Roses

People, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish play another game this season. Not only do they play a game, they play a game in the College Football Playoff. It’s kind of a big deal. I’m PUMPED, and if you aren’t then I don’t know what to tell you. The Irish go into the playoff on Friday as the #4 team in the Top 4. They face the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl played in Arlington, TX. Because of Bama’s insane talent as well as the Irish getting beat by 24 points in the ACC Championship, the betting lines are pretty lopsided. Let’s get into the details of all of it.

ND vs Bama: Betting Lines

For back to back games, the Irish sit as double-digit undersogs. As it currently sits early on Wednesday, two days before the Irish and Crimson Tide are set to compete, the Irish are 20-point underdogs. This spread is actually crazy to me, and it is almost surreal.

DraftKings SportsBook

I understand being underdogs, but being underdogs by 20 points is so wild in a CFB playoff game. The spread opened around 17 points once the game was officially announced, and there must have been a lot of money put onto Bama covering the spread since it has moved to Notre Dame +20. Additionally, there is a really high game total at 65.5. I think the cause for that is Bama’s high-scoring offense but also the thought that a close game would happen if there ends up being a Big 12-esque track meet in points between the Irish and the Crimson Tide. Oddsshark is claiming that Bama could cover while the over hitting on the point total for the game.

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Matty G’s Prediction

I’m optimistic, but I’m also a realist. I understand the struggles that this game presents, and they are valid. I think I normally buy into those, but I’m not a degenerate fan that has been writing the Irish off since we knew they would be #4 in the CFP and play Alabama in the first semifinal. I still hold hope. The Irish have a damn good team.

Therefore, I do think that 20 is just a ridiculous number to cover. I don’t care that it is a homer pick — I will not pick the Irish not to cover and/or to lose. I believe the Irish do cover that point spread. And, for a prediction, I’m always going to go with the Irish. So, I predict the score being 45-42 Notre Dame over Alabama. The OVER hits and the Irish do cover.

Additionally, I’m going to set the DAMHSA BUA total at 4.5. Five or six TDs probably gets the Irish in business for this game to have a shot to win. So, to me, the OVER hits on the DAMHSA BUA count.

Let us know in the comments what you think of the betting lines. Also, as always, vote in the DAMHSA BUA poll.

Go Irish. Beat Bama.