Let’s see which team takes the win on this Bulldogs at Tigers betting preview.
The Georgia Bulldogs face another big test on Saturday at Auburn, but oddsmakers don’t seem concerned making UGA a -15.5 road favorite. The Tigers shouldn’t be considered an automatic pushover though, losing at now #4 Penn State just 28-20 in week 3.
Auburn is also coming off a 24-19 win over LSU, their first win in Baton Rouge since 1999. The Tigers lost 27-6 at Georgia last season and have dropped four straight to the Bulldogs in this series.
Georgia Running Game Too Much?
QB J.T. Daniels is on the injury report with an oblique injury that had him miss last week’s win over Arkansas. It didn’t matter, though, because Georgia still beat #8 Arkansas 37-0, with Stetson Bennett going just 7/11 with 72 yards.
Whether it’s Daniels or Bennett who goes under center for Kirby Smart’s squad -15.5 still looks good for two reasons – the running game and defense. James Cook, Zamir White, Kenny McIntosh, and Kendall Milton all had 45+ rush yards vs. Arkansas. White has 4 TD in five games this season.
Even with 273 yards rushing against the Razorbacks, with Auburn having a top 15 defense vs.the run, the best way UGA covers this number is with their defense. The Bulldogs haven’t given up a point in the last 8 quarters, ranking #1 in the country in total yards, pass yards, and points allowed.
Arkansas has a top 20 rushing attack in the country, but they were held to 75 yards on 29 carries last week. The Bulldogs also held Clemson to 2 yards rushing and 180 total yards in the season opener, so their stats have come against quality competition.
Tigers For the Upset?
Auburn is just an 8-point loss at State College away from coming into this contest 5-0. The Tigers have still climbed up to #19 in the rankings, up 3 spots after their win at LSU.
The up-and-down career of Bo Nix continues as the QB was benched a week prior in a 34-24 win over Georgia State in which the Bulldogs were -27.5 favorites. Nix threw for 244 yards and a TD and also ran for 74 yards and a score – but he was also just 23 of 44 passing.
Auburn has a tough matchup with what looks like an elite Georgia defense, but the Tigers have the backs to wear down the ‘Dogs. Jarquez Hunter (447) and Tank Bigsby (430) have combined for 877 yards and 7 TD on the season. That duo got just 15 carries vs. LSU last week, though, so the Auburn game plan needs some tweaking.
The stakes were a little higher last season when these teams met up, as Georgia was ranked #4 and Auburn #7. Nix and Stetson were the respective QBs in that matchup, with Bennett getting the edge 240 yards to 177. The Tigers managed just 22 carries for 39 yards while UGA ran for 202 yards. That could again be the edge in the 2021 matchup.
Georgia at Auburn Pick
The Bulldogs look destined for the College Football Playoff, but should they really be -15.5 point favorites on the road at Auburn? If the Tigers would commit to the run, they’d have a much better chance in this game, but that’s easier said than done against UGA.
Ultimately this looks like another big Bulldogs win as they easily covered the -16.5 in the 37-0 win against Arkansas last week. That game was in Athens, but this looks like a Bulldogs team on a mission right now.
Georgia -15.5
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