The betting public has spoken! Heading into the latest rendition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate, the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs are expected to handle the No. 23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for yet another season. While Georgia has been a sizable favorite coming in, it is really starting to get out of hand, as illustrated by the latest betting odds. What FanDuel Sportsbook has listed is quite a doozy...
Hours before kickoff, Georgia is now laying a whopping 15.5 points to Georgia Tech in their neutral-site affair. Although the game is being played in Atlanta, it will be taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of at Bobby Dodd. The over/under comes in at a combined 59.5 points, while the associated moneylines of Georgia -750 and Georgia Tech +530 suggest a potential blowout here.
Even though both teams enter rivalry weekend ranked, one team is playing its best football of the season right now, while another has seemingly hit the skids of late. Of course, given the absolute animus existing between both rivals, we can throw the point spread out the window. We will know who proves victorious in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate later this evening, maybe into the early part of night...
However, there are reasons why more and more money has come in to make this a 15.5-point spread.
Georgia is now a huge 15.5-point favorite over Georgia Tech in Atlanta
While betting on Georgia to cover as the favorite is never for the faint of heart, the Bulldogs have so much more to play for than merely bragging rights this season. Although they are effectively a lock to make the College Football Playoff, another ranked win would get them to 11-1 on the season, and potentially in the mix for a first-round bye, regardless of if they were to reach the SEC title bout or not.
As for Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets have lost two of their last three games. Sandwiched in between their conference defeats to North Carolina State and Pittsburgh was a narrow two-point victory over the abysmally bad Boston College Eagles. Georgia Tech still has a high-quality offense, but it will give up points in a hurry. This may be an issue vs. a far more talented Georgia team today.
In short, we have a 10-1 Georgia team playing for a halfway decent shot at a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, going up against a 9-2 Georgia Tech team that may have blown its chance of its greatest season in roughly a decade. Even though Georgia should not take Georgia Tech lightly, the final point spread indicates that this thing could get out of hand very quickly inside of The Benz.
For now, expect for Georgia to probably win by multiple scores, but maybe not by the 15.5 margin...