← Full 2026 board
AwaySE LouisianaFCS / external · expanded SRS
AT
HomeSouth AlabamaNo. 109 · -9.5
Week 1Saturday, September 5 at 7:00 PM EDTESPN+Hancock Whitney Stadium
Live 4M scoreSouth Alabama 31 · SE Louisiana 22
4M fair spreadSouth Alabama -8.7
4M fair total53.1
Home win68%

How the game projects

South Alabama has the stronger baseline. The path still runs through down-to-down execution.

The model makes South Alabama the neutral-field leader after blending opponent-adjusted efficiency, predictive ratings, roster quality, returning production, portal impact and special teams. Home field contributes to that position. The median score is South Alabama 31 · SE Louisiana 22, with roughly 12.0 possessions per team.

This is a distribution, not a promise. The home team wins 68% of the model's outcome curve; the remaining probability captures turnovers, finishing-drive variance, injuries and the uncertainty that is highest early in a season.

The number bridge

Every point between neutral field and the final line.

Neutral marginSouth Alabama +6.9Team strength before location
Base home field+2.0National home baseline
Venue + altitude-0.2Learned history, capacity and elevation
Travel + body clock0.0Relative trip and kickoff timing
Rest0.0Days-between-games difference
Live availability0.0Verified personnel overlay

The location calculation is no longer a blanket home-field number. It combines the learned national baseline with venue and conference history, capacity, altitude, travel, body clock and rest while the archived team ratings remain neutral-field numbers.

Matchup engine

Where the projection is coming from.

Offense gapSouth Alabama+17.9 index pts
Defense gapSouth Alabama+4.1 index pts
Roster gapSouth Alabama+17.9 index pts
Player gapSouth Alabama+30.3 index pts
Special teamsSE Louisiana+10.2 index pts

South Alabama's cleanest route is to keep the game in standard downs and make its stronger units appear repeatedly. SE Louisiana's upset path is higher variance: create short fields, win explosives and force the favorite to finish long drives instead of allowing easy scoring opportunities.

Personnel file

Continuity, transfers and the people who can move the number.

SE LouisianaExternal opponent file

Expanded SRS prices this opponent at reduced confidence; a full FBS roster dossier is not claimed.

    South AlabamaMajor Applewhite

    55 returning roster matches · 12 portal additions · 30 departures

    • Bishop DavenportQB · 4.7 pts · Returning
    • Jared HollinsQB · 2.6 pts · Returning
    • Aaden ShamburgerQB · 0.9 pts · New / unverified
    • Jerry HorneQB · 0.9 pts · New / unverified
    • Taylor Jacobs JrQB · 0.9 pts · New / unverified
    Full team dossier →

    Market translation

    Review before betting.

    No licensed market is currently attached. That makes this a football forecast, not a betting recommendation. Wait for a real price before deciding whether an edge exists.