Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Oct 15, 2020 11:17 am

Saban’s COVID-19 test impacts Alabama’s game & title odds

Nick Saban

Second-ranked Alabama was a 6.5-point favorite over No. 3 Georgia until Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban announced Wednesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

The line then dropped to four.


It’s a short list of coaches who could impact the betting line of a game that dramatically, but the six-time national champion coach is one of them.

In Steve Sarkisian sportsbook doesn’t trust

With Saban home self-isolating and forced to sit out the game, he put offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian in charge.

Nick Saban
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

“Some of the movement is due to an overreaction by the betting public, but we certainly don’t trust Steve Sarkisian standing on the sidelines and making decisions as much as we do Nick Saban, so there had to be an adjustment from our side,” said SportsBetting.com odds consultant Scott Cooley.

Further, SportsBetting.com moved Alabama’s title odds from +275 to +350.

The only other college coach who could impact odds like that is Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Cooley said.

The Tigers are currently the +225 national championship favorite by SportsBetting.com. Alabama’s lengthened odds slid them behind Ohio State (+300) but still ahead of Georgia (+700).

Similar influencer story in NFL

In the NFL, just three coaches would have a similar impact – New England’s Bill Belichick, Kansas City’s Andy Reid and New Orleans’ Sean Payton – according to Cooley.



The Crimson Tide play host to the Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday night. Both teams enter undefeated.

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)

You may also like

Apr 27, 2022 8:57 am

Giants go for 2-game sweep of crosstown rival A’s

The San Francisco Giants will look to further close the gap in their all-time rivalry with the visiting Oakland Athletics when they seek a second straight win Wednesday night in…

Apr 27, 2022 8:42 am

Guardians, slumping Franmil Reyes take on Shohei Ohtani’s Angels

The Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels will play the third game of their four-game series Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif., as the Guardians try to rediscover their offense. Cleveland’s…

Apr 27, 2022 8:35 am

Playoff-bound Kings seek to keep Kraken reeling

The Los Angeles Kings are playoff-bound for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Kings (43-27-10, 96 points) punched their postseason ticket Tuesday night when Dallas defeated Vegas in…

More Archive News

Apr 27, 2022 8:57 am

Giants go for 2-game sweep of crosstown rival A’s

The San Francisco Giants will look to further close the gap in their all-time rivalry with the visiting Oakland Athletics when they seek a second straight win Wednesday night in…

Apr 27, 2022 8:42 am

Guardians, slumping Franmil Reyes take on Shohei Ohtani’s Angels

Apr 27, 2022 8:35 am

Playoff-bound Kings seek to keep Kraken reeling

Apr 27, 2022 8:17 am

Six-man rotation kicks in as Astros, Cristian Javier face Rangers

Apr 27, 2022 8:08 am

Jason Robertson, Stars can lock up playoff berth vs. Coyotes

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds