State
bragging rights will be on the line this Saturday when the ACC’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the SEC’s Georgia Bulldogs renew their long-standing rivalry in Athens. We preview the game before making our college football picks play on the outcome.
Georgia Tech
This has not
been one of Georgia Tech’s most memorable seasons with an overall record of 6-5
straight-up (7-4 against the spread), but it has won four of its last five
games both SU and ATS including a 42-24 pasting of Duke this past Saturday as a
12-point home favorite. The total has gone OVER in seven of its last nine
games.
The Yellow
Jackets have one of the worst passing attacks in Division-IA this season, but
have been able to compensate with a ground game that is averaging 324.9 yards a
game, the third-highest total in the country. Georgia Tech has six
different players with at least 300 yards rushing this season led by Orwin
Smith’s 673 yards on 75 carries. Quarterback Tevin Washington has only thrown
for 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns, but he is the team’s second leading rusher
with 598 yards and 18 touchdowns. If the Yellow Jackets can generate these
kinds of numbers on Saturday, they have an excellent chance to keep this game
close.
Georgia Game
Georgia’s
only loss of the season was on the road against South Carolina in Week 6 in a
35-7 rout as a one-point road underdog. Although they are 10-1 SU heading into
this contest, the Bulldogs have been tough to bet on this season with a 5-6
record ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in their last five games.
Balance has
been the key for Georgia’s offense this season with an average of 278.9 passing
yards a game to go along with an average of 192.5 yards running the ball.
Quarterback Aaron Murray has completed a solid 65.7 percent of his passes for
2,986 yards and 28 touchdowns, while Todd Gurley has led the way on the ground
with 1,041 yards and 12 scores. The Bulldogs defense has also done its part by
holding opponents to 18.4 points a game, which is ranked 18th in the
nation.
Betting
Lines and Trends
College football odds makers currently favor Georgia by -13. The total has been set at 64.5
The Yellow Jackets are 7-3-1 ATS in
their last 11 games following an ATS win but 1-4 ATS in their last five
non-conference games. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five road
games.
The Bulldogs are 9-3-1 ATS in their last
13 games against the ACC but 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games at home. The total
has gone OVER in six of their last eight home games.
Head-to-head, the road team is 12-3-1
ATS in the last 16 meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in five of the last
eight games. Georgia Tech is 1-9 SU in the last 10 meetings but 2-2 ATS in the
last four.
Pick
It would be next to impossible for
Georgia Tech to go on the road and win this game SU no matter how heated this
rivalry may be. However, behind a solid running game and some momentum from
three-straight wins, take the Yellow Jackets to put forth their best effort of
the season to keep this game closer than 13 points.
Georgia
27 - Georgia Tech 17 (betting line
provided by 5Dimes)