Georgia plays the heavy these days, a national championship contender, while South Carolina has a chance to be sneaky this season. How are betting Saturday afternoon’s SEC East showdown (3:30 ET, CBS) between the ‘Dawgs and the ‘Cocks in Columbia?
College Football Betting Odds
Week 2’s college football betting odds opened Georgia at -9 for this game, with a total of 51. Early betting action then bumped the Bulldogs to -10, and the total to 53.
Any bettors thinking South Carolina might win this game outright could get upwards of +330 on the various college football betting money lines.
Dawgs-‘Cocks: Match-Up
South Carolina opened its 2018 season with a 49-15 victory over Coastal Carolina, which up until last year played FCS ball and below. The ‘Cocks drove 69 yards and plus each of their first three possessions to touchdowns, later led 42-6 and hung on for the cover as 31-point favorites. The stats from that game don’t mean much, other than to point out South Carolina was ready to play an inferior opponent, put ’em to bed early and cashed.
UGA, meanwhile, opened its season with a 45-0 victory over FCS Austin Peay. The Bulldogs, coming off that national championship game overtime loss to Alabama last January, scored on their first six possessions Saturday, led 38-0 at the half, then put things on cruise control from there. But by doing so, they came up short in covering the spread as 48-point favorites.
The stats from that game don’t really mean much, either, other than, perhaps, that even after losing Nick Chubb and Sony Michel to the pros Georgia ran the ball for 248 yards.
The ‘Dawgs are now 12-5 ATS over their last 17 games, stretching back to the latter parts of 2016. However, spreads tend to catch up to teams, even good ones, over the course of two-three seasons. So we keep it in the back of our minds that teams like Georgia will eventually become overrated, betting-wise.
Phil Steele, whose publication we hold in high regard, tells us the Bulldogs returned 13 starters this season, eight on offense, including four along the offensive line, but only five on defense. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, returned 14 starters from last season, eight on offense and six on defense.
Recent History
South Carolina won four of five in this rivalry from 2010-14, but Georgia has won the last three meetings, going 2-0 under Coach Smart. Last year the Bulldogs beat the Gamecocks 24-10 in Athens, but South Carolina covered as a 23-point dog. Georgia dominated play, for the most part, that day, outgaining the ‘Cocks 438-270, winning the time of possession by a 38/22 split. But playing at home, the ‘Dawgs were just favored by too much.
That game played under a total of 45.
Totals Report
Overs played 7-6 in Georgia’s 13 games against Power 5 opponents last year.
Unders played 6-5 in South Carolina’s 11 games vs. Power 5 foes last year.
