Want to do something foolish: Bet against Saban

When the calendar turned to October, Alabama had one loss and was an underdog going to Georgia. Looking back, how foolish was it to doubt Nick Saban? Pretty foolish.

Saban has coached the Crimson Tide back into the College Football Playoff picture by going 7-0 straight up and 5-2 against the spread the past two months. The Tide's turnaround started with a 38-10 blowout of the Bulldogs.

Alabama is a 14-point road favorite over Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday. Saban is 4-0 ATS away from home this season, and the visiting team is 8-1 ATS in the past nine Tide games.

Meanwhile, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn is collecting doubters. Malzahn is 2-9 ATS this season and 2-14 ATS in his past 16 games. The Gold Sheet editor Bruce Marshall gives the technical edge to Alabama for obvious reasons.

More tech notes and trends from Goldsheet.com on the weekend's rivalry games:

* Iowa at Nebraska: The Hawkeyes have covered their past five on the road, and coach Kirk Ferentz has covered eight straight as visiting chalk. The Cornhuskers are 2-4 ATS at home this season, but 2-1 as 'dogs. Tech edge: Iowa.

* Washington State at Washington: The Huskies won the Apple Cup the past two years. However, Cougars coach Mike Leach has covered eight straight this season and is 13-3 ATS in his past 16 as a visitor. Tech edge: Washington State.

* Ohio State at Michigan: Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer has not had it easy against the Wolverines, with no covers the past two years. But he is 3-0 straight up versus Michigan while at Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 6-1 ATS in their past seven away from home, and 10-1 straight up in their past 11 versus Michigan. Tech edge: Ohio State.

* Penn State at Michigan State: James Franklin is 0-7 ATS on the road as Penn State coach. Despite troubles as chalk earlier this season, Spartans coach Mark Dantonio still is 10-6 as a double-digit favorite since last year. Tech edge: Michigan State.

* Indiana at Purdue: The teams have split the past eight Old Oaken Bucket games straight up, with the Hoosiers winning the past two. The Boilermakers are 2-6 ATS in their past eight home games. Tech edge: Indiana.

* Brigham Young at Utah State: The Aggies are 2-1 as 'dogs this season but only 5-7 in that role for coach Matt Wells since 2013. Utah State has covered six of the past seven in the series. BYU is 6-11 ATS in its past 17 away from Provo. Tech edge: Utah State.

* Virginia Tech at Virginia: Retiring coach Frank Beamer has owned Virginia, beating the Cavaliers in 11 straight and going 8-3 ATS in those games. The Cavaliers are 13-3-1 in their past 17 in the underdog role. Tech edge: Virginia Tech.

* Florida State at Florida: Gators coach Jim McElwain is 7-3-1 ATS this year and 29-11-1 in his past 41 on the board. The Seminoles are 1-3 as 'dogs since 2011. The road team has covered the past four meetings. Tech edge: Florida.

* Georgia at Georgia Tech: Georgia has won the past seven and covered the past eight against Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium. This has been a road series for the past 17 years (14-2-1). Georgia Tech is on a 1-8 spread skid. Tech edge: Georgia.

* Kansas State at Kansas: Bill Snyder has owned Kansas, winning and covering all six since returning as coach in 2009. He's 17-1 straight up and ATS in the past 18 versus the Jayhawks. Tech edge: Kansas State.

* Notre Dame at Stanford: The Fighting Irish are 1-3-1 ATS away from South Bend this season. Stanford is 8-2 ATS in its past 10 at home. Tech edge: Stanford.

* UCLA at Southern California: The Bruins have won and covered the past three in this series, all under coach Jim Mora, who's also 6-1 ATS in his past seven away from the Rose Bowl. The Trojans are 2-5 ATS in their past seven as Pac-12 hosts. Tech edge: UCLA.