Georgia Southern vs. UAB Odds, Picks: Why Blazers Should Cover This Week 3 Matchup
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- Georgia Southern and UAB face off in a Sun Belt vs. Conference USA college football Week 3 battle.
- The Eagles have started the season 2-0 under new head coach Clay Helton, while the Blazers are 1-1 with a loss to Liberty.
- Matt Wispe breaks down the matchup and offers up his best bet.
Georgia Southern vs. UAB Odds
| Georgia Southern Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -112 | 55.5 -108o / -112u | +360 |
| UAB Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -108 | 55.5 -108o / -112u | -480 |
It's the Sun Belt vs. Conference USA as UAB hosts Georgia Southern in this Week 3 matchup.
Georgia Southern is coming off of a shocking win over Nebraska while UAB comes in after a loss to Liberty.
Georgia Southern enters this game with a 2-0 record under new head coach Clay Helton. The Eagles are 2-0 against the spread and have gone over in both games.
UAB enters this game with a 1-1 record after its loss to Liberty last week. The Blazers hold a 1-1 record against the spread and have gone under in both games.
Weather shouldn't have a significant impact on this game, as the current forecast calls for mostly sunny weather with winds up to seven miles per hour.
Georgia Southern Eagles
Helton's Eagles were all over the headlines following their win over Nebraska and the subsequent firing of Scott Frost.
Through two games, they are averaging 52 points per game and 7.0 yards per play. They have a 53% Success Rate and have averaged 21.2 seconds per play. They also have averaged 5.7 points per opportunity.
The biggest change that Helton brought this offseason was a newfound heavy reliance on the passing game. Through two games, the Eagles have averaged 51 pass attempts per game compared to just 23 in 2021.
Buffalo transfer Kyle Vantrease has completed 64.7% of his passes while averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. The Eagles have a 58% Passing Success Rate and have averaged six passing plays over 20 yards per game.
Jalen White and Gerald Green returned from the 2021 campaign, and have led the team in rushing through the first two games.
As a team, the Eagles are averaging 6.0 yards per attempt and have a 48.3% Rushing Success Rate. One factor in their success is the fact that they've averaged 3.36 Line Yards per attempt.
Georgia Southern has allowed 24.5 points per game and 5.9 yards per play. The Eagles have allowed a 44% Success Rate and 4.2 points per opportunity.
In this matchup, Georgia Southern's run defense will be the key, as UAB runs the ball on 65% of plays. The Eagles have allowed 4.4 yards per rush and a 51% Rushing Success Rate.
UAB Blazers
After finishing second in its division in 2021, UAB entered this season among the top contenders in the conference.
Through two games, the Blazers are averaging 36.5 points per game and 6.9 yards per play. They have a 42% Success Rate and average 30.5 seconds per play.
Their upset loss to Liberty exposed some problems on this team, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
The Blazers' offense passes the ball on just 39% of plays. They have averaged 8.6 yards per attempt while completing 66.7% of their passes. They have a 46% Passing Success Rate and have averaged two passes over 20 yards per game.
UAB has averaged 39.5 rushing attempts per game and 6.0 yards per attempt. The Blazers have a 39% Rushing Success Rate and have averaged 3.5 rushing plays over 20 yards per game.
Their offensive line is generating just 2.6 Line Yards per attempt and has allowed a 22.5% Stuff Rate.
The Blazers' defense has been a strength through two games. They've allowed 10.5 points per game and 4.6 yards per play. They have a 33% Success Rate — which ranks 28th in the country — and they've allowed only 1.27 points per opportunity.
Against this Eagles offense, it will be their pass defense that is on full display, and their 35% Success Rate Allowed is reason for some optimism.
Georgia Southern vs. UAB Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Georgia Southern and UAB match up statistically:
Georgia Southern Offense vs. UAB Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 18 | 58 | |
| Line Yards | 39 | 43 |  |
| Pass Success | 6 | 39 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 77 | 91 | |
| Havoc | 1 | 45 | |
| Finishing Drives | 8 | 8 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
UAB Offense vs. Georgia Southern Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 58 | 45 | |
| Line Yards | 112 | 124 | |
| Pass Success | 61 | 51 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 28 | 61 | |
| Havoc | 113 | 115 | |
| Finishing Drives | 64 | 94 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 109 | 61 |
| PFF Coverage | 89 | 52 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 39 | 22 |
| Seconds per Play | 21.2 (8) | 30.5 (122) |
| Rush Rate | 37.8% (122) | 65.3% (13) |
Data via CollegeFootballData.com (CFBD), FootballOutsiders, SP+, Pro Football Focus and SportSource Analytics.
Georgia Southern vs. UAB Betting Pick
In prior seasons, this matchup would have been screaming for an under play — as both offenses heavily leaned on the running game — but Helton's revamping of the Georgia Southern offense has changed that in a hurry.
With a possible 50 pass attempts in this game, the clock will be consistently stopping when the Eagles are on the field.
According to the PRO report, sharp money has come in on the Georgia Southern side, but big money bets have favored UAB. Currently 62% of bets favor the Eagles, but 70% of the money is on UAB.
My preferred play in this matchup is on the Blazers covering the double-digit line.
Pick: UAB – 11.5 (Play up to 13.5)
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