COLLEGE FOOTBALL BAD BEATS BLOG: Alabama wins title; final prop grades

The college football season has arrived at its championship game.

Alabama (12-0) and Ohio State (7-0) will play for the College Football Playoff title at 5:15 p.m. Monday in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Crimson Tide defeated Notre Dame 31-14 in one semifinal in the Rose Bowl, and the Buckeyes upset Clemson 49-28 in the other semifinal in the Sugar Bowl.

Alabama opened as a 7-point favorite and has been bet up to -9½. The total is a sky-high 75, but it has come down from the opener of 76½.

We’ll be following all the action. Refresh this blog throughout the game to track bad beats, player props, movement on the live betting line, halftime bets and much more.

UPDATES

9:10 p.m.: Thanks for reading. We’ll be back Saturday for the NFL divisional playoffs.

8:55 p.m.: Final prop grades:

Alternate spreads: Alabama -17½ (+230), -14½ (+175), -3½ (-230), +3½ (-600).

Alternate totals: Under 82½ (-210), over 60½ (-250).

Team totals: Alabama over 43, Ohio State under 33.

General props: First score will be a TD (-450); won’t be a defensive or special teams TD (-200); longest TD under 62½ yards (42).

Alabama props: Mac Jones over 26½ completions (36), longest completion under 49½ yards (44), over 2½ TD passes (5, -265), won’t throw an interception (-150); Najee Harris under 119½ rushing yards (79), over 37½ receiving yards (79), over 1½ TDs (-200); DeVonta Smith over 140½ receiving yards (215), over 8½ receptions (12), over 1½ TDs (-130); John Metchie over 62½ receiving yards (81), won’t score a TD (-145); Jahleel Billingsley under 38½ receiving yards (27), won’t score a TD (-175); Miller Forristall under 24½ receiving yards (0); under 18½ receiving yards Slade Bolden (16).

Ohio State props: Justin Fields under 25½ completions (17), longest completion under 43½ yards (36), under 1½ TD passes (+270), won’t throw an interception (+140), over 42½ rushing yards (67); Trey Sermon under 104½ rushing yards (2; injured on first carry), won’t score a TD (+155), under 27½ receiving yards (0); Chris Olave under 99½ receiving yards (69), won’t score a TD (+130); Garrett Wilson under 76½ receiving yards (50), will score a TD (+130); Jameson Williams under 29½ receiving yards (14); Jeremy Ruckert under 37½ receiving yards (36), won’t score a TD (-200).

8:47 p.m.: FINAL: Alabama 52, Ohio State 24. The Crimson Tide cover easily as 9½-point favorites, -310 ML. The total pushes on 76, but a lot of over bettors won at 75½ or better. Some unfortunate early bettors lost with over 76½.

8:33 p.m.: Ohio State fails on fourth-and-goal, and some over bettors are still sweating.

8:12 p.m.: The over has been clinched for some bettors, but some need one more score (pushing with 76 or losing with 76½).

8:11 p.m.: That should do it. Harris scores on a 1-yard TD run, and Alabama leads Ohio State 52-24 with 13:15 left in the fourth quarter. The live line has been turned off.

8:06 p.m.: Tide receiver John Metchie is now over his receiving yards prop of 62½ with 71 so far.

8:05 p.m.: END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: Alabama 45, Ohio State 24. And the Tide are driving again after stopping the Buckeyes on fourth down.

7:57 p.m.: Bolden was +550 to score a TD.

7:56 p.m.: Alabama answers. Slade Bolden catches a 5-yard TD pass, and the Crimson Tide extend their lead to 45-24 with 2:52 left in the third quarter. Alabama is -8,000 on the live line (Ohio State +2,600), spread -20½ (-164), total 89½.

7:46 p.m.: Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is now over his rushing yards prop of 42½ with 62 after a scramble on the last drive. Wilson was +130 to score a TD.

7:45 p.m.: Ohio State gets a much-needed score. Garrett Wilson catches a 20-yard TD pass, and the Buckeyes cut Alabama’s lead to 38-24 with 6:45 left in the third quarter. Alabama is -2,500 on the live line (Ohio State +1,100), spread -17½, total 86½.

7:36 p.m.: Alabama adds a field goal on its opening drive to extend its lead to 38-17 over Ohio State with 7:47 left in the third quarter. Alabama is -8,000 on the live line (Ohio State +2,600), spread -21½, total 82½.

7:26 p.m.: The second half is underway. Alabama receives the kickoff.

7:15 p.m.: With all the scoring, a lot of props have already been decided:

Alabama: Mac Jones over 2½ TD passes (-265); Najee Harris over 37½ receiving yards (66) over 1½ TDs (-200); DeVonta Smith over 140½ receiving yards (215), over 8½ receptions (12), over 1½ TDs (-130).

Jones is almost over 26½ completions with 25 so far.

7:05 p.m.: Second-half line: Alabama -6½, total 35½.

7:03 p.m.: HALFTIME: Alabama 35, Ohio State 17. First-half winners: Alabama -6½, over 39.

6:47 p.m.: Smith strikes again after an Ohio State punt, catching an easy 42-yard TD pass. Alabama leads 35-17 with 1:48 left in the second quarter and is -2,500 on the live line (Ohio State +1,100), spread -21½, total 92½.

6:41 p.m.: Smith goes over his Circa prop of 1½ TDs (-130). Alabama quarterback Mac Jones already goes over his TD pass prop of 2½ (-265).

6:40 p.m.: Alabama gets a two-score lead. Smith catches a 5-yard TD pass, and the Crimson Tide lead Ohio State 28-17 with 3:19 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -1,000 on the live line (Ohio State +625), spread -14½, total 88½.

6:33 p.m.: Ohio State kicks a field goal to cut Alabama’s lead to 21-17 with 5:21 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -500 on the live line (Ohio State +375), spread -10½, total 85½.

6:18 p.m.: Harris cashes a prop at Circa to score over 1½ TDs at -200.

6:17 p.m.: The track meet is on. Harris scores on a spectacular 22-yard catch-and-run, and Alabama takes a 21-14 lead on Ohio State with 9:00 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -700 on the live line (Ohio State +475), spread -13½, total 84½.

6:09 p.m.: Alabama fumbles, and Ohio State makes the Tide pay. Teague scores his second TD of the game, from 4 yards out, and the Buckeyes tie Alabama at 14 with 11:43 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -320 on the live line (Ohio State +250), spread -7½, total 80½.

6:03 p.m.: Ohio State punts. Alabama has the ball, leading 14-7 with 12:32 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -900 on the live line (Ohio State +520), spread -14½, total 76½.

5:59 p.m.: Big loss for Ohio State — and Trey Sermon prop bettors. The running back is going to the hospital with an apparent collarbone injury, ESPN reported. He finished with one carry for 2 yards. His props were 104½ rushing yards, 27½ receiving yards and -175 to score a TD.

5:57 p.m.: Smith was a hefty -700 to score a TD.

5:56 p.m.: Alabama goes back on top. DeVonta Smith catches a 5-yard TD pass, and Alabama leads Ohio State 14-7 with 14:53 left in the second quarter. Alabama is -700 on the live line (Ohio State +475), spread -13½, total 82½.

5:52 p.m.: END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Alabama 7, Ohio State 7. First-quarter winners: Ohio State +½ (+125), under 16½ (+130). Under bettors were saved when Alabama was stopped short on second-and-goal on the final play. Third-and-goal coming up to start the second quarter.

5:38 p.m.: Teague was +155 to score a TD.

5:37 p.m.: Ohio State answers. Master Teague scores on an 8-yard TD run, and the Buckeyes tie Alabama at 7 with 4:55 left in the first quarter. Alabama is -350 on the live line (Ohio State +270), spread -9½, total 78½.

5:34 p.m.: Bettors were inches away from Slade Bolden scoring the first TD at 50-1 on third down. He was ruled short, and Harris scored at much, much shorter odds on fourth down.

5:30 p.m.: Harris was +350 to score the first TD and -1,250 to score at any point.

5:28 p.m.: Alabama scores first. Najee Harris scores on a 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal, and the Crimson Tide lead Ohio State 7-0 with 8:07 left in the first quarter. Alabama is -650 on the live line (Ohio State +450), spread -14½, total 75½.

5:17 p.m.: Ohio State goes three-and-out. Alabama has the ball at its 22 with 13:39 left in the first quarter.

5:15 p.m.: We’re underway. Ohio State receives the kickoff.

5:10 p.m.: The game is about to kick off. Here’s the line at the Westgate:

Alabama (-9½, 76, -310) vs. Ohio State (+260), 5:15 p.m. at Miami Gardens, Florida

4:45 p.m.: BetMGM reported Monday afternoon that 55.3 percent of the tickets and 59.7 percent of the money were on Alabama, and 61.4 percent of tickets and 58.2 percent of the money were on the under.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.