Middle Tennessee at Alabama Week 1 College Football Matchup Middle Tennessee at Alabama Matchup - Week 1
Sat, Sep 2 2023 · Week 1 · 🏟 Bryant Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL · Turf · 101,821 cap
Middle Tennessee✈ 194 miSame TZ
7 56
Final
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📊 Punt & Rally Projection
Middle Tennessee
12
Alabama
41
P&R Line Alabama -29
P&R Total O/U 52.5
Confidence 90 High
Vegas Alabama -39.5 · O/U 52.0
Matchup Prediction
Toss-up — no clear edge
Neither metric shows a meaningful pre-game edge in this matchup.
Momentum Control
58.4%
Lean
Game Control
50.6%
Toss-up
Vegas Spread
Alabama -39.5
O/U 52.0
William Hill (New Jersey)
Advanced Stats
All 4 factors agree → Alabama · 83.1% ATS historically when all four align
↓ See full breakdown
Middle Tennessee 2023 Schedule
Middle Tennessee's 2023 Schedule
DateMatchupSpreadTotalResultO/UCover
Sat 9/2Middle Tennessee at Alabama+39.5L7–5652.0L7–56ON
Sat 9/9Middle Tennessee at Missouri+21.0L19–2347.5L19–23UY
Sat 9/16Middle Tennessee vs Murray State-34.5W35–1451.0W35–14UN
Sat 9/23Middle Tennessee vs Colorado State-3.5L23–3150.0L23–31ON
Thu 9/28Middle Tennessee at Western Kentucky+6.5L10–3161.0L10–31UN
Wed 10/4Middle Tennessee vs Jacksonville State-2.5L30–4552.0L30–45ON
Tue 10/10Middle Tennessee vs Louisiana Tech-3.0W31–2353.5W31–23OY
Tue 10/17Middle Tennessee at Liberty+16.0L35–4256.5L35–42OY
— Bye Week —
Sat 11/4Middle Tennessee at New Mexico State+3.0L7–1355.5L7–13UN
Sat 11/11Middle Tennessee vs Florida International-10.5W40–650.5W40–6UY
Sat 11/18Middle Tennessee vs UTEP-8.5W34–3048.5W34–30ON
Sat 11/25Middle Tennessee at Sam Houston-3.5L20–2349.5L20–23UN
Alabama 2023 Schedule
Alabama's 2023 Schedule
DateMatchupSpreadTotalResultO/UCover
Sat 9/2Alabama vs Middle Tennessee-39.5W56–752.0W56–7OY
Sat 9/9Alabama vs Texas-7.0L24–3453.0L24–34ON
Sat 9/16Alabama at South Florida-34.0W17–361.0W17–3UN
Sat 9/23Alabama vs Ole Miss-7.0W24–1056.0W24–10UY
Sat 9/30Alabama at Mississippi State-16.5W40–1745.0W40–17OY
Sat 10/7Alabama at Texas A&M-2.5W26–2045.0W26–20OY
Sat 10/14Alabama vs Arkansas-19.0W24–2145.0W24–21UN
Sat 10/21Alabama vs Tennessee-8.5W34–2047.5W34–20OY
— Bye Week —
Sat 11/4Alabama vs LSU-3.0W42–2861.5W42–28OY
Sat 11/11Alabama at Kentucky-10.0W49–2145.5W49–21OY
Sat 11/18Alabama vs Chattanooga-44.5W66–1054.5W66–10OY
Sat 11/25Alabama at Auburn-14.0W27–2448.0W27–24ON
Sat 12/2Alabama vs Georgia+5.0W27–2456.0W27–24UY
Mon 1/1Alabama vs Michigan+2.0L20–2746.0L20–27ON
Advanced Stats
Advanced Analytics Matchup
Matchup-adjusted (offense vs opponent defense) · 2023 season
Alabama PPA Edge
Agreement Signals — When All Metrics Agree
Elite · 83.1% ATS
PPA + PPO + SR + Havoc
All 4 Agree
→ Alabama
Elite · 82.4% ATS
PPA + PPO + Havoc
3 Agree
→ Alabama
Elite · 73.9% ATS
PPA + Success Rate
Both Agree
→ Alabama
Individual Factors — Ranked by Predictive Strength
PPA Overall
Points added per play · Elite predictor
Middle Tennessee #95
+0.253
Alabama #20
+0.459
Alabama Edge
PPA Passing
Pass efficiency edge · Strong predictor
Middle Tennessee #84
+0.353
Alabama #20
+0.751
Alabama Edge
Havoc Total
Def. disruption rate · Strong predictor
Middle Tennessee #49
0.170
Alabama #16
0.189
TFLs, sacks, PBUs, forced fumbles — higher is better
Alabama Edge
Points Per Opp
Drive-finishing edge · Strong predictor
Middle Tennessee #115
+7.065
Alabama #17
+8.727
Alabama Edge
Success Rate
Play consistency edge · Solid predictor
Middle Tennessee #104
+0.752
Alabama #39
+0.879
Alabama Edge
Field Position
Avg start (lower=better) · Solid predictor
Middle Tennessee #90
71.2
Alabama #36
69.4
Avg yards from own endzone to average start — lower is better · longer bar = better field position
Alabama Edge
Advanced stats sourced from CFBD · 2023 season · Edges are matchup-adjusted (offense vs opponent defense)
Power Ratings
Team Power Ratings
Overall · Offense · Defense ratings · Updated as season progresses
Alabama Rated Higher
Overall Power Rating
Middle Tennessee
-17.5
Alabama
17.4
Offense Rating
Middle Tennessee
5.5
Alabama
21.7
Defense Rating (lower = better defense)
Middle Tennessee
22.9
Alabama
4.3
Power ratings updated throughout the season as results accumulate
Momentum Control (CSS)
Consecutive Scoring Sequences Who builds scoring momentum? Middle Tennessee Edge
Avg sequences created per game
Middle Tennessee #125
0.00
Alabama #14
0.00
Avg sequences allowed per game (lower is better)
Middle Tennessee #102
0.00
Alabama #13
0.00
Middle Tennessee +0.00
CSS Edge (season-to-date)
Teams with this edge win 58.4% of games historically
Based on 0 games this season
Game Control (GC)
Win Probability Dominance Who controls games start to finish? Middle Tennessee Edge
Avg GC score per game (offense)
Middle Tennessee #1
0.0
Alabama #1
0.0
Avg GC score allowed per game (lower is better)
Middle Tennessee #59
0.0
Alabama #18
0.0
Middle Tennessee +0.0
GC Edge (season-to-date)
Teams with this edge win 50.6% of games historically
Based on 0 games this season
Actual Result
CSS Battle
Alabama
4 — 0 sequences
✗ Predicted incorrectly
GC Battle
Alabama
91.1 — 4.7 GC score
✗ Predicted incorrectly
Game Result
Alabama won by 49
Spread Context
ATS Historical Context
Based on 2021–2025 backtest · FBS vs FBS · Regular season

Both metrics agree on Alabama, but the GC edge is small. When metrics agree but GC is near-neutral, the agreed-upon team has covered only 46.7% of the time historically (n=224) — potentially a fade signal.

ATS data is informational only. Past cover rates do not guarantee future results.

Coaching Matchup
Middle Tennessee
Rick Stockstill #1
110–105 (51%) · Yr 18 at school
OC Mitch Stewart Yr 2 #1
DC Scott Shafer Yr 3 #1
Staff Rating
0.00 #1
Alabama
Nick Saban #1
191–28 (87%) · Yr 17 at school
OC Tommy Rees Yr 1 #1
DC Kevin Steele Yr 1 #1
Staff Rating
0.00 #1
About these metrics
Advanced Stats shows matchup-adjusted factor edges (offense vs opponent defense). Combination signals — when PPA, PPO, Success Rate, and Havoc all point the same direction — have historically predicted the SU winner in 95–97% of games and the ATS winner in 82–83% of games (2021–2025, FBS vs FBS, regular season).
Impact: Advanced Stats are the best performance based metric used to predict the outcome of games.

Momentum Control (CSS) measures consecutive scoring sequences — when a team scores, holds the opponent scoreless, then scores again. Teams entering a game with a CSS edge of +1.0 or more have won 71–78% of games historically (2021–2025, FBS vs FBS).
Impact: CSS is not a predictive ATS advantage, data shows this is already considered when lines are set.

Game Control (GC) measures win probability dominance — how thoroughly a team controlled the game from start to finish. Teams with a GC edge of +12 or more have won 67–76% of games historically. When both metrics agree, combined confidence is higher. When they split, treat as a lean at best.
Impact: GS is not a predictive ATS advantage, data shows this is already considered when lines are set.

Power Ratings are a custom-built composite of a Teams Talent, Experience & Production, Coaching & Performance Metrics. These are updated constantly with roster changes, performance once the games start for the 2026 season, injuries the team is dealing with and scheduling situations.
Impact: There are a wide range of power ratings available, we think ours is the best, you can decide for yourself