Georgia vs. Georgia Tech Odds & Picks: The First-Half Bet to Make
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images. Pictured: Adonai Mitchell (5) of the Georgia Bulldogs.
- Updated odds have Georgia as -35 favorites when it takes on Georgia Tech on Saturday.
- With an SEC Championship berth secured, the Bulldogs could pull their starters early, making a first-half bet the safer route.
- BJ Cunningham delivers his best bet for the game.
Georgia vs. Georgia Tech Odds
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-35 -120 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | N/A |
| Georgia Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+35 +100 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | N/A |
The Georgia Bulldogs look to finish the regular season undefeated when they take on their in-state rival, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
Georgia has been far and away the best team in college football and has held the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings every single week. This is a look-ahead spot with potentially the biggest game of the year in the SEC Championship game against Alabama next weekend.
Still, though, the question is not whether Georgia will beat Georgia Tech. It's whether the Bulldogs can cover.
Georgia Tech has really struggled this season at 3-8 with five straight losses in the ACC. Defense has been the biggest problem for Yellow Jackets.
On top of that, starting quarterback Jeff Sims missed the last two games and is reportedly in a walking boot. Not looking good for the Yellow Jackets on Saturday.
Georgia Bulldogs
Bulldogs Offense
With how good the Bulldogs' defense has been, the offense has done its part to keep Georgia at No. 1.
Stetson Bennett has been the perfect game manager. He hasn't been called upon to throw much this season, only attempting over 20 passes in twice this season with Georgia running the ball at the 31st-highest rate in the country. That's mostly due to the fact that it has been blowing out everyone, though.
Bennett is averaging 11.7 yards per attempt and has an 83.1 passing grade, with only five turnover-worthy plays, per PFF. He also has Georgia ranked 13th in Passing Success Rate and third in EPA per pass.
WHAT A BALL FROM STETSON BENNETT📬#CFB
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) November 6, 2021
Even though Georgia is running the ball at a very high rate, it hasn't been that effective. The Bulldogs are only 47th in Rushing Success Rate and 76th in EPA/Rush.
The Georgia Tech front seven has been below average this season, so Georgia Tech should be able to move the ball with ease on Saturday.
Bulldogs Defense
What makes Georgia's defense so dominant is the cohesiveness of its front seven and secondary.
Kirby Smart's defense is only allowing 3.7 yards per play, which is the best mark in college football, and this is the No. 1 team in terms of tackling, per PFF. It's almost impossible to move the ball consistently on this defense.
The front seven has been absolutely dominant against the run. Georgia is sixth in Rushing Success Rate Allowed, fourth in EPA per rush allowed and allows only 2.5 yards per carry, which is third in college football.
It helps that the Bulldogs have one of the best defensive players in college football in Jordan Davis.
Jordan Davis is insane pic.twitter.com/MxNZ13sq1a
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) October 30, 2021
Georgia's secondary has taken over as the best unit on the defense, only allowing 5.4 yards per pass attempt and ranking No. 1 in college football in EPA per pass allowed and coverage, per PFF.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Yellow Jackets Offense
Georgia Tech's offense was shut out against North Dame last weekend to the tune of 3.3 yards per play. Next up is Georgia. Yikes.
As of Wednesday, it's unclear whether Sims will play, which would give Jordan Yates his sixth start this season.
In his five starts, Yates has not been inefficient, averaging 6.1 yards per attempt and a 59.5 passing grade with eight turnover-worthy plays in those five starts, per PFF.
Georgia Tech may have ventured away from the triple option, but it's still running the ball 55.6% of the time. The Yellow Jackets rank 89th in Rushing Success Rate and 63rd in Offensive Line Yards, while PFF has them graded at 115th in terms of a run-blocking grade.
The Yellow Jackets are also 103rd in Finishing Drives and 89th in Havoc Allowed, going up against Georgia defense that is first in Finishing Drives and sixth in Havoc.
Yellow Jackets Defense
The Yellow Jackets defense comes in after a couple of poor outings, having allowed 8.7 yards per play to both Boston College and Notre Dame.
The Yellow Jackets haven't been able to stop the run at all this season, which is a big problem in this matchup, considering Georgia runs the ball 58.9% of the time. Georgia Tech ranks 81st in Rushing Success Rate Allowed, 93rd in Defensive Line Yards and 91st in terms of a run defense grade, per PFF.
The Georgia Tech secondary, though, has been unbelievably bad. The Yellow Jackets allow a whopping 9.7 yards per attempt and rank 120th in terms of a coverage grade. Even Jack Coan and Notre Dame torched the Jackets for 10.4 yards per attempt last Saturday.
I don't know how Georgia Tech can stop Georgia on Saturday.
Georgia vs. Georgia Tech Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Georgia and Georgia Tech match up statistically:
Georgia Offense vs. Georgia Tech Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 47 | 81 | |
| Line Yards | 25 | 93 | |
| Pass Success | 29 | 113 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 21 | 91 | |
| Big Play | 6 | 95 | |
| Havoc | 7 | 114 | |
| Finishing Drives | 13 | 94 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Georgia Tech Offense vs. Georgia Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 89 | 6 | |
| Line Yards | 63 | 11 | |
| Pass Success | 93 | 1 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 57 | 8 | |
| Big Play | 76 | 1 | |
| Havoc | 81 | 6 | |
| Finishing Drives | 103 | 1 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 1 | 82 |
| Coverage | 1 | 121 |
| Middle 8 | 3 | 81 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 31 | 105 |
| Plays per Minute | 107 | 55 |
| Rush Rate | 59.8% (31) | 55.6% (59) |
Georgia vs. Georgia Tech Betting Pick
This is technically in a look-ahead spot with a long-awaited date with Alabama in the SEC Championship game, so I wouldn't be surprised if Georgia shuts it down at halftime and pulls its starters.
Therefore, I am going to back Georgia for the first half at -21.
Pick: Georgia 1H -21
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