The No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 9 Florida Gators are both coming off their bye weeks and they collide at TIAA Bank Field with the Okefenokee Oar up for grabs. Florida has won three of the last four games in this rivalry but Georgia is a 7-point favorite in this year’s match. This week's contest has an Sportsbook total of 52 points and the two schools have had an average combined score of 42.8 over the last five meetings.
- The total has gone UNDER in five of Florida’s last seven games vs Georgia (avg. combined score: 40.57).
- Florida is 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five games (avg. winning margin: 17.8).
- Florida is 3-1 SU and ATS in its last four games vs Georgia.
Florida vs Georgia Game Center
Georgia looks to rebound from first loss of the season
Georgia has had a couple of weeks to process what went wrong in Week 7 on the road in Death Valley against then-No. 13 LSU in its 36-16 defeat. The Bulldogs were rolling into that game with a perfect 6-0 record, outscoring their opponents 257-78 over that winning streak. Against LSU, quarterback Jake Fromm struggled immensely, completing just 47.1 percent of his pass attempts for 209 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. That marked the first time he had allowed more picks than TDs in a game since he had similar numbers vs Alabama in the national championship.
The Bulldogs are a well-balanced team, scoring an average of 39 points per game, which is the 18th-most in the nation, while they surrender just 16.3 points per game, 13th-fewest in college football. Sophomore QB Fromm is having a good season, throwing for 1,409 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Florida eyes sixth straight win
After dropping a game to the surprising Kentucky Wildcats 27-16 in Week 2, Florida has rattled off five straight victories, including triumphs over then-No. 23 Mississippi State (13-6) and then-No. 5 LSU (27-19). The Gators’ defeat came mostly due to a lackluster performance from their run defense as Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. rushed for 175 yards on 27 carries while quarterback Terry Wilson rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Although Florida’s run defense isn’t that spectacular, ranking 73rd in college football by surrendering an average of 163.1 yards per game, its pass defense ranks sixth, yielding just 160.1 passing yards per game. Offensively, the Gators are led by sophomore quarterback Feleipe Franks and score an average of 34.4 points per game, which ranks 35th in the NCAA. Franks has thrown for 1,406 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season.
Is the UNDER the bet to make?
The UNDER has been a common occurrence between Florida and Georgia and Sportsbook has this week's match Sportsbook at 52 points. Five of the last seven meetings between these schools have gone UNDER with an average combined score of 40.57. Meanwhile, the two teams are very defensive-minded, with the Gators allowing just 16.6 points per game, which is the 15th-fewest in the nation, while the Bulldogs surrender 16.3 points per game, putting them 13th in college football. Lastly, Georgia’s games have had an average combined score of 55.29 this year, while Florida’s games have had an average combined score of 49.86.
My Take on Florida vs Georgia
I like the Gators +7 this week. I think this is going to be a very close, low-scoring game and that’s why I’m on Florida on the plus-points. Florida is 14-6 SU and 12-7-1 ATS in its last 20 games against Georgia. Most recently it is 3-1 SU and ATS vs the Bulldogs with an average winning margin of 18.67. Lastly, the Gators are 5-0 SU and ATS in their last five games with an average winning margin of 17.8.
