College Football Betting Preview: Georgia vs. Florida
By Brian Edwards
Sportsmemo.com
Georgia vs. Florida
Saturday, 12:30 pm PT - CBS
CRIS Opener: Georgia -2.5 O/U 47
CRIS Current: Georgia -3 (-105) O/U 47
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Georgia -0.5
Brain Edwards' Recommendation: Georgia
Thanks to South Carolina’s improbable comeback victory at Missouri, Georgia and Florida have something to play for when they collide along the St. John’s River in Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon. Despite disappointing seasons brought on by a rash of injuries, both schools remain alive in the SEC East race.
As of Friday morning, most betting shops had Georgia (4-3 straight up, 1-5-1 against the spread) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 47 or 47.5. Gamblers can take the Gators on the money line for a +130 return (risk $100 to win $130).
Florida (4-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) has dropped back-to-back games at LSU (17-6) and at Missouri (36-17. The Gators were without a pair of key starters on defense against the Tigers. DE Ronald Powell (ankle) and DT Damien Jacobs (head) didn’t dress out, but both players were upgraded to ‘probable’ on Thursday.
UF has had eight players go down to season-ending injuries this year and now it must face UGA without starting offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is going to miss the next 2-4 weeks with an MCL injury.
Georgia has also lost back-to-back games to Missouri (41-26) at home and at Vanderbilt (31-27), but the Bulldogs will have a different look against UF. That’s because RB Todd Gurley will return after missing three consecutive games. Gurley, who rushed for 450 yards and five touchdowns in the first 3.5 games, sprained his ankle in the first half of a 44-41 win over LSU on Sept. 28.
Mark Richt’s team will also get starting safety Tray Matthews back in the lineup for the first time since he strained his hamstring in a 34-31 overtime win at Tennessee on Oct .5. WR Michael Bennett suffered a knee injury at UT and might return this week. Bennett is listed as ‘questionable’ at this point, so check his status early Saturday.
Florida’s offense has been downright atrocious in 2013. The Gators haven’t scored more than 31 points in a game and they average a pedestrian 21.1 points per contest.
In an attempt to spark the offense, UF head coach Will Muschamp is going to start Kelvin ‘Baby Fred’ Taylor at tailback. The true freshman is the son of Fred, a Gator legend, and wears No. 21 just like his father.
With increased playing time in the last two games, Taylor has looked explosive. He has rushed for 172 yards and one TD on 28 carries for a 6.1 yards-per-carry average.
UF quarterback Tyler Murphy suffered a shoulder injury in the loss at LSU and it was clearly bothering him against Missouri. Murphy didn’t throw at all during the bye week and rested the shoulder until Tuesday’s practice.
The over is 6-1 overall for UGA, which has seen its combined scores average 69.3 points per game. Every total for the Bulldogs has been in the 60s except for a Week 2 win over South Carolina. In that contest, UGA won a 41-30 decision and the 71 combined point sailed ‘over’ the 55-point tally.
The under is 4-2-1 overall for the Gators, who have watched their games play to a combined average score of 37.4 PPG.
Muschamp is winless in six appearances in this rivalry. As a safety at Georgia in the 1990s, Florida beat the Bulldogs all four times. In Muschamp’s first two trips to Jacksonville as coach of the Gators, UGA has prevailed both times, including last year’s 17-9 victory.
Until winning the last two meetings, Georgia had not beaten UF in back-to-back games since the 1980s.
I think Georgia is the play in this spot. The return of Gurley is going to be huge and as bad as UGA is defensively, UF is even worse on offense. The Florida defense will keep it in the game the entire way, but I think the Bulldogs win by a touchdown.
By Brian Edwards
Sportsmemo.com
Georgia vs. Florida
Saturday, 12:30 pm PT - CBS
CRIS Opener: Georgia -2.5 O/U 47
CRIS Current: Georgia -3 (-105) O/U 47
Rob Veno's Power Rating: Georgia -0.5
Brain Edwards' Recommendation: Georgia
Thanks to South Carolina’s improbable comeback victory at Missouri, Georgia and Florida have something to play for when they collide along the St. John’s River in Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon. Despite disappointing seasons brought on by a rash of injuries, both schools remain alive in the SEC East race.
As of Friday morning, most betting shops had Georgia (4-3 straight up, 1-5-1 against the spread) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 47 or 47.5. Gamblers can take the Gators on the money line for a +130 return (risk $100 to win $130).
Florida (4-3 SU, 2-5 ATS) has dropped back-to-back games at LSU (17-6) and at Missouri (36-17. The Gators were without a pair of key starters on defense against the Tigers. DE Ronald Powell (ankle) and DT Damien Jacobs (head) didn’t dress out, but both players were upgraded to ‘probable’ on Thursday.
UF has had eight players go down to season-ending injuries this year and now it must face UGA without starting offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is going to miss the next 2-4 weeks with an MCL injury.
Georgia has also lost back-to-back games to Missouri (41-26) at home and at Vanderbilt (31-27), but the Bulldogs will have a different look against UF. That’s because RB Todd Gurley will return after missing three consecutive games. Gurley, who rushed for 450 yards and five touchdowns in the first 3.5 games, sprained his ankle in the first half of a 44-41 win over LSU on Sept. 28.
Mark Richt’s team will also get starting safety Tray Matthews back in the lineup for the first time since he strained his hamstring in a 34-31 overtime win at Tennessee on Oct .5. WR Michael Bennett suffered a knee injury at UT and might return this week. Bennett is listed as ‘questionable’ at this point, so check his status early Saturday.
Florida’s offense has been downright atrocious in 2013. The Gators haven’t scored more than 31 points in a game and they average a pedestrian 21.1 points per contest.
In an attempt to spark the offense, UF head coach Will Muschamp is going to start Kelvin ‘Baby Fred’ Taylor at tailback. The true freshman is the son of Fred, a Gator legend, and wears No. 21 just like his father.
With increased playing time in the last two games, Taylor has looked explosive. He has rushed for 172 yards and one TD on 28 carries for a 6.1 yards-per-carry average.
UF quarterback Tyler Murphy suffered a shoulder injury in the loss at LSU and it was clearly bothering him against Missouri. Murphy didn’t throw at all during the bye week and rested the shoulder until Tuesday’s practice.
The over is 6-1 overall for UGA, which has seen its combined scores average 69.3 points per game. Every total for the Bulldogs has been in the 60s except for a Week 2 win over South Carolina. In that contest, UGA won a 41-30 decision and the 71 combined point sailed ‘over’ the 55-point tally.
The under is 4-2-1 overall for the Gators, who have watched their games play to a combined average score of 37.4 PPG.
Muschamp is winless in six appearances in this rivalry. As a safety at Georgia in the 1990s, Florida beat the Bulldogs all four times. In Muschamp’s first two trips to Jacksonville as coach of the Gators, UGA has prevailed both times, including last year’s 17-9 victory.
Until winning the last two meetings, Georgia had not beaten UF in back-to-back games since the 1980s.
I think Georgia is the play in this spot. The return of Gurley is going to be huge and as bad as UGA is defensively, UF is even worse on offense. The Florida defense will keep it in the game the entire way, but I think the Bulldogs win by a touchdown.
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