Alabama football is home underdog for first time since 2007

Alabama is a home underdog this week for the first time in 17 years.

The Crimson Tide, who were last listed as home underdogs in 2007 to LSU, are getting from 1 to 2 points from Georgia in Saturday’s showdown at Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Bulldogs, who saw their bid to win three straight national titles end in last season’s upset loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game, opened as 4½-point favorites over the Tide during the summer at the Westgate SuperBook and South Point sportsbook.

“Alabama’s played much better than we expected, and Georgia’s played a little bit worse,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said. “Alabama’s been a little bit of a surprise. I think we all expected them to be down a little bit this year with (coach Nick) Saban gone.

“If I was in a vacuum, I would’ve opened Alabama the favorite. But I don’t want to go too far off the market. Right now, it’s mostly 2, and I opened 1. I’m willing to take a bet on Georgia.”

Alabama (3-0, 2-1 ATS), under coach Kalen DeBoer and behind quarterback Jalen Milroe, a Heisman Trophy candidate, whipped Wisconsin 42-10 on the road last time out to easily cover as a 14½-point favorite.

Georgia (3-0, 1-2 ATS) escaped with a 13-12 win at Kentucky last time out as a 22-point favorite. The Bulldogs are -2 at the SuperBook.

“The line has come down for two reasons,” SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons said. “Alabama has done a little bit better than what the expectations were, and Georgia got discounted because of that poor effort by them in Kentucky.”

Georgia is -1½ at Circa Sports after the line opened at pick’em last week.

“When we opened it last week, we took some Georgia money, and it’s gone up a little,” Circa oddsmaker Nick Bogdanovich said. “Georgia hasn’t been as dominant so far as in years past.

“We’ll probably need Alabama if early polls are any indication. Georgia’s been so dominant the last three years that getting them in the pick range, people will get really excited about that.”

Alabama has won eight of the past nine meetings with Georgia.

Aces, Liberty on cusp of rematch

The Aces and New York Liberty are on the cusp of a WNBA playoff semifinal showdown that will be a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals.

The Aces beat the Liberty in four games last season to become the first team in 21 years to repeat as league champions, and they entered this season as the odds-on favorites to win a three-peat.

But the favorite to win the WNBA title has flipped after New York earned the No. 1 playoff seed with a league-leading 32-8 record.

The Liberty are +120 favorites at the SuperBook to win the title, and the Aces and Minnesota Lynx are tied for the +275 second choice.

“The tough aspect about this time is that the Liberty will have the home-court advantage, and they will be favored in that series,” SuperBook WNBA oddsmaker Jeff Sherman said.

Sherman projects the Liberty to be -150 series favorites over the Aces if both teams advance.

The Aces outscored the Storm 14-2 in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday to win 78-67 and cover the 9-point spread.

The Aces, who have won 10 of their past 11 games while going 9-0-2 ATS, are 8½-point favorites over Seattle in Game 2 on Tuesday at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“They’ve been playing their best basketball recently,” Sherman said. “Chelsea Gray looks like playoff Chelsea Gray right now.”

The Liberty covered -12½ in their 83-69 win over the Atlanta Dream in the opener of their first-round playoff series. New York is a 12½-point favorite Tuesday in Game 2.

WNBA title odds

At Westgate SuperBook

Liberty +120

Aces +275

Lynx +275

Sun +850

Storm 100-1

Fever 100-1

Mercury 500-1

Dream 1,000-1