MGM vice president of race and sports Jay Rood's goal in December is simple: Stay ahead of the Tide. While most sportsbooks opened Alabama as a 9.5-point favorite over Michigan State in a national semifinal matchup in the Cotton Bowl, Rood opened the Crimson Tide at -10. He expects the line to go even higher.
"I thought 9 or 9.5 was pretty short," Rood said of the Cotton Bowl point spread. "I was thinking 11 or 11.5 on this game. I wouldn't be surprised to see the game close closer to 14, actually. So I'm going to be really aggressive and make sure to stay ahead of the curve with Alabama.