SEC Best Bet: Georgia vs. South Carolina
No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)
NCAA Football Week 3
Date/Time: Saturday September 17th, 2022. 12:00PM (EST)
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC
TV: ESPN
Betting Odds:
Point Spread: UGA -24.5/SCAR +24.5 (BAS – You’re pissing away your hard earned money if you’re still laying -110 on your college football bets! Start saving BIG BUCKS by laying only -105 odds!)
Total: 52
The Georgia Bulldogs reclaimed their position as the number 1 team in college football this week thanks to an unimpressive performance by the Alabama Crimson Tide that just narrowly escaped an upset attempt by Texas. As a result, the reigning National Champions are once again the top team in the country and deservingly so after two straight blowouts over no. 11 Oregon and Sanford by a combined score of 82-3. However, the Bulldogs will get their first road test of the season on Saturday when they travel to Williams-Brice Stadium for a showdown with SEC East rival South Carolina.
The Gamecocks are 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS this season following a victory over Georgia State and a 44-30 loss to no. 16 Arkansas last week. In last week’s loss to the Razorbacks, the Gamecocks trailed by as much as 21-3 but showed some tenacity by rallying to make things a fairly competitive game in the 4th quarter. For those unaware, Head Coach Shane Beamer has done a tremendous job at South Carolina in just his 2nd year. After taking over a program that was in shambles, Beamer led the Gamecocks to a 7-6 record last year, capped off by a bowl victory in a year where most expected South Carolina to get 3-4 wins. After a successful recruiting campaign and getting some talent in the transfer portal, the Gamecocks appear to be a program on the rise.
With that being stated, South Carolina’s performance last week against Arkansas was a perfect snapshot of where the program currently stands. After completely being outclassed in the skill department, the Gamecocks fought back to make things competitive, yet the hard reality is the team does not have the talent to threaten the top teams in the SEC. Historically, South Carolina has been a nuisance for rival Georgia, but the talent gap has widened under the reign of Bulldogs Head Coach Kirby Smart. So while I would rule out the possibility of an upset this weekend in Columbia based solely on the talent gap, the 24.5-point betting spread is more debatable.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Betting Analysis
If anyone is going to challenge Georgia straight up or against the spread, they are going to have to find a way to score some points on this dynamic Bulldogs defense. After fielding the best defense in college football last year, the Bulldogs have started off strong again, relinquishing just 3 points in their opening two contests. Therefore if South Carolina is going to have a chance at covering this 24.5-point spread, the Gamecocks are going to have to find a way to manufacture points.
So far this season, I have not been as impressed with quarterback Spencer Rattler as most people expected. The former Oklahoma transfer has provided immediate relief to the position that plagued the Gamecocks’ offense last season. However, Rattler is just 47 of 76 (61%) for 603 yards with two scores and three picks in two games. More importantly, South Carolina’s offensive line has been absolutely horrendous, which has caused the bulk of the issues for Rattler. Ironically, this is the area of the field where Georgia’s defense thrives, and that is really all you need to know from a match-up standpoint.
For Georgia’s offense, they should be able to control an undersized/talented defensive front from South Carolina. Despite the vastly improved play by QB Stetson Bennett, the Bulldogs are still a run-first offense, and that is the area of the field they should control on Saturday. Once the Bulldogs establish the run with Kendall Milton, expect Bennett to feast on opportunities down the field. As a warning to bettors, this may not be a blowout right away as South Carolina’s defense could win some early bettors with the home crowd at their back. However, I fully expect Georgia’s defense to get to Rattler and potentially force some turnovers. After being on the field far too often, the Bulldogs’ offense will eventually pull away.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Betting Prediction
I would love to see the Gamecocks give Georgia an actual challenge this week. However, I just don’t see it happening. The Bulldogs are just way too good in the trenches and should control South Carolina’s front on both sides of the football. I think this will be another dominant effort by the Bulldogs.
Jay’s Pick: Take Georgia -24.5. You can bet the Dawgs at -4.5 by inserting them into a massive 20 point college football teaser found at Wagerweb Sportsbook!
