In what amounts to a national championship semi-final bout the 11-1 Crimson Tide of Alabama take on the 11-1 Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game Saturday afternoon at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta (4 pm ET, CBS).
In the early betting the Tide was favored by 7.5 points over UGA in a battle of two conference rivals who, for whatever reason, haven't met since 2008.
Georgia is 3-1 ATS against Alabama since 2002 and the past four meetings between these SEC rivals all played OVER the total.
Alabama boasts the nation's best defense, allowing just 9.3 PPG, making that total of 50 seem very high at online sportsbooks. See the latest SEC championship game odds before getting your action down on this match.
View Alabama vs Georgia Odds and Stats.
Betting Line: The home team opened as 8-point underdogs in this NCAA football battle at Sportsbook. The over under line was sitting near 50 early in the week at Sportsbook.
Power Rankings / Prediction: According to the Power Rankings here at OddsShark it's the No. 16-rated Bulldogs and the No. 1-rated Crimson Tide in this matchup. Predictive formulas point to a 56-46 win for the Crimson Tide on Saturday.
It’s no secret that the SEC is a fascinating beast. This Saturday, when the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide set out for a conference championship against the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs, fans both casual and hardcore alike, will get a good long look at why the fabled conference routinely pumps out the country’s top college football contenders. Get NCAA odds for the SEC conference championship today.
ADVERTISEMENT: Bet on college football and get a free 50% bonus WHEN YOU CHECK OUT Sportsbook
With No. 1 honors falling to independent Notre Dame, Alabama and Georgia will be playing for more than a simple conference crown. A victory pushes them into the BCS National Championship game where they can engrave their names in American history.
Heading into the ultimate tilt, it’s Nick Saban’s Tide with the advantage on the college football moneyline. A seven-point spread, coupled with their 4/7 odds on the BCS futures, has oddsmakers thinking twice before doubting the perennial powerhouse at this stage in the game.
Not only did Georgia and Alabama never cross paths during the regular season though, the opponents to whom each lost, never played the other over the course of the year. Preseason favorite Alabama, then, might have a higher profile, but that doesn’t mean their college football odds are guaranteed.
With so much at stake, a conference title and a berth in the country’s most cherished bowl game, the weekend ought to be an intriguing one. Weigh in on college football at its best.
How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Georgia's No. 17-ranked offense (38 PPG) against a Crimson Tide defense that ranks No. 1 at 9.2 PPG. The Bulldogs passing attack has averaged 273.6 yards per game, more than the Crimson Tide give up through the air (156.7 YPG on average).
In comparing defenses, the Crimson Tide own the league's No. 3-rated front 7 in terms of stopping the run, allowing 69.8 yards per game when on the road. Georgia, on the other hand, rates No. 28 this week in generating rushing yards at home.
Alabama was a 49-0 Sportsbook in their most recent outing at home against Auburn. They covered the 34-point spread as favorites, while the total score (49) made Sportsbooks of OVER bettors. Eddie Lacy ran through the Auburn defense for 131 yards in Alabama's last game, handing the Tigers a 49-0 setback on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
In their last action, Georgia was a 42-10 Sportsbook at home against Georgia Tech. They covered the 14.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (52) was profitable news for UNDER bettors. Georgia cruised to victory in its last outing, as they ran up a 42-10 score against Georgia Tech at Sanford Stadium.
Alabama Crimson Tide Trends:
When playing in December are 4-5
When playing on turf are 9-1
After outgaining opponent are 10-0
When favored on the road are 9-1
Georgia Bulldogs Trends:
When playing in December are 6-4
When playing on turf are 6-4
After being outgained are 4-6
When an underdog at home are 1-9
A few Crimson Tide at Bulldogs trends to consider:
Alabama is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Alabama's last 5 games when playing Georgia
Georgia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Georgia's last 5 games when playing Alabama
