ReliaQuest Bowl Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines

The 11th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) will meet with the Michigan Wolverines (7-5) in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Tuesday, December 31 at 12:00 PM ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Looking at the latest college football betting odds, the Crimson Tide are favored with a point spread at -13.5 (-110) at BetAnySports.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Crimson Tide had a rough 24-3 loss to an unranked Oklahoma Sooners team just before Thanksgiving. They quickly bounced back with a 28-14 performance over the Auburn Tigers, but this victory did not give them enough momentum to be back in the top 10 rankings and aim for a title.

Against the Tigers, they had a slim 14-6 lead at the half before taking off with 14 points in the third quarter. Jalen Milroe had a big game despite an interception, with 18 of 24 completions totaling 256 yards. He also compiled 104 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.

They put up 457 yards and allowed the Tigers to get 399. One key focus for their next game should be keeping turnovers to a minimum, as they forced two on the Tigers but had four of their own.

The Crimson Tide have put together 35.5 points a game and rank 16th out of 134 teams in the country. Their defense stands out at 10th overall in allowing opponents to average 17.2 points a game. This is a great spread and shows they have an edge.

Michigan Wolverines Betting Preview

The Wolverines have won their last two games and are coming off a 13-10 win over the previously second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. This was their toughest win of the season by far and it nearly knocked the Buckeyes out of playoff contention.

Not much offense was put on the board in the second half, but the Wolverines landed a field goal to win it with under 42 seconds remaining in the game. Davis Warren had a rough game, completing nine of 16 passes for 62 yards and had two touchdowns.

Both teams had similar numbers on paper, as the Wolverines posted 234 yards, 13 first downs, and had two turnovers. They had possession of the ball for about 33.5 minutes, which was just enough time for them to pull off the upset.

The Wolverines are accumulating 22.2 points a game and rank 112th, while their defense allows 20.5 points a game and ranks 23rd. This shows a narrow margin of error.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

BetAnySports has the best ReliaQuest Bowl betting odds, with the Crimson Tide as 13.5-point favorites. Market predictions suggest the Crimson Tide has an 80.7 percent chance at winning.

This is likely Milroe’s last chance to shine on the field before heading to the draft. Look for the Crimson Tide to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide -13.5 (-110)