The Georgia Bulldogs (3-0 overall, 3-0 SEC) and Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0, 3-0) are scheduled to meet at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. for an 8 pm ET kickoff Saturday (on CBS). Below, we analyze the Georgia-Alabama college football betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
The Crimson Tide are No. 2 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports, while the Bulldogs are No. 3.
Georgia at Alabama: Betting odds and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:45 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Georgia +165 (bet $100 to win $165) | Alabama -200 (bet $100 to win $200)
- Against the spread/ATS: Georgia +4.5 (-106) | Alabama -4.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 57.5 (O: -121 | U: +100)
Georgia at Alabama: Three things to know
- The big news broke Wednesday that Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and athletic director Greg Byrne each tested positive for COVID-19. Both men left the team’s facility and are in self-isolation. Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will take over, similar to how head coach Mike Norvell missed the Florida State game at Miami after his positive test.
- With the news of Sark taking over for Saban, money poured in on the Dawgs, moving the line from 6 to 4, before heading back to 4.5. Sarkisian was head coach at USC and Washington previously, so these aren’t uncharted waters for him.
- Georgia’s defense has been nasty so far, allowing just 236.7 total yards per game to rank second in the nation while ranking first in rushing yards allowed (38.3) and fifth in points allowed (12.3) per game. Alabama’s offense has been on fire, ranking first in the nation with 51.0 points per game, while checking in second in passing yards (385.0) and third in total yards (560.3) per contest.
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Georgia at Alabama: Odds, betting lines and picks
Prediction
Georgia 38, Alabama 31
Money line (ML)
Get in on the money line for GEORGIA (+165), which bumped up a little since the middle of the week. It is a tremendous value. Alabama (-200) is just too expensive, it has the distraction of its head coach being away from the team and the defense has been a disaster. That’s fine when you’re up against the likes of Ole Miss or Mizzou, but it won’t work against UGA.
Against the spread (ATS)
GEORGIA +4.5 (-106) wasn’t caught looking ahead in a marquee tune-up matchup against Tennessee, routing the upstart Vols by a 44-21 count between the hedges last week. After narrowly missing a cover at most shops in their opener at Arkansas, winning 37-10 on a 27.5-point number, the Dawgs are a perfect 2-0 ATS in the previous two.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 57.5 (-121) is the way to go here, as the Tide will be able to move the ball against the Bulldogs defense; UGA will certainly be able to move it against the Tide. Heck, a Pop Warner team likely could move the ball on this Alabama defense, which looks like one of the worst units Saban has had in Tuscaloosa in years. A game in the 60s might be a modest estimate. A higher score wouldn’t be surprising.
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