Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Odds, Picks and Preview For CFP National Championship Game

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide College Football Playoff National Championship Game Betting Odds, Picks and Preview

The final game of the college football season has arrived. In a rematch of the SEC Conference title game, the Georgia Bulldogs will face off with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night. While there continues to be plenty of grumbling about the current FBS playoff format, fans of the sport really can’t complain about this year’s title game matchup. Georgia and Alabama have clearly been the two best teams all season long. Will Nick Saban and the Tide continue their recent dominance in this rivalry? Or can Kirby Smart and the Dawgs exact some revenge? The college football betting odds have aligned with Georgia ahead of the 2022 CFP National Championship Game.

Georgia vs. Alabama CFP National Championship Betting Odds, Picks, and Preview

College Football Playoff National Championship Game

Georgia Bulldogs (13-1 SU, 9-5 ATS) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1 SU, 8-6 ATS)

• Date: Monday, January 10, 2021
• Start Time: 8 PM EST
• Location: Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• TV Coverage: ESPN

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Georgia Bulldogs Preview

Kirby Smart and Georgia are certainly no strangers to having the college football betting public go against them. The vast majority of ATS bets were on Michigan for the Orange Bowl CFP Semifinal matchup. Any questions about how the Bulldogs would rebound after having their undefeated season ruined in the SEC Championship Game were answered immediately. The Dawgs raced out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. The 34-11 blowout of the Big Ten champs helped set up another crack at Alabama with a national title on the line.

After making numerous mistakes in the SEC Championship Game, quarterback Stetson Bennett IV responded in a big way against Michigan. He picked the Wolverines’ stout defense apart, finishing with over 300 yards passing and a trio of touchdowns. Running back James Cook wound up as Georgia’s leading receiver in the playoff semifinal with 112 yards and tight end Brock Bowers remained a preferred target of Bennett’s. Star wideout George Pickens was abnormally quiet. He should play a much bigger role in the title game. While no UGA ball-carriers had a blockbuster individual game on the gourd, four players eclipsed 30 yards rushing. Zamir White and Cook will aim to find more success against Alabama on Monday night.

Of course, Georgia’s calling-card all season has been the defense. After having their weaknesses exposed by Alabama’s four-wide offensive looks in the SEC title game, the Bulldogs shut down a run-heavy Michigan offense in the Orange Bowl. Georgia’s front seven is chock full of NFL-caliber talent with no name looming larger than Nakobe Dean. The Dawgs continue to rank as the best scoring defense in FBS having allowed only 9.8 points per game on average this season.

Alabama Crimson Tide Preview

Nick Saban and Alabama had little difficulty taking care of the loveable Group of 5 underdog Cincinnati in their playoff semifinal matchup. A 27-6 victory was sparked by a massive advantage in size and strength along the line of scrimmage. This enabled the Tide to run the ball virtually at will against a Bearcats defense that has plenty of NFL talent in its own right. In fact, Alabama had so much success on the ground that Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young finished the day with less than 200 yards passing. Young still came through when it mattered, evidenced by his three touchdown passes.

Needless to say, the offensive approach Alabama took in the Cotton Bowl was very different from the one they utilized in the first college football betting matchup against Georgia. After totaling only 55 rushing yards against the Dawgs in the SEC title game, Brian Robinson Jr. went off against Cincy. His 198 yards came on 25 carries, good for a 7.9 YPC average. While Ja’Corey Brooks and Slade Bolden joined Jameson Williams as the priority targets, the playoff semifinal didn’t necessarily give a great indication of how Alabama’s passing attack will fare without John Metchie. After all, the Tide certainly won’t be able to run the ball at will against the Georgia defensive front.

Speaking of the battle in the trenches, Alabama’s offensive line put together a near-perfect performance in the SEC Championship Game. Will they be able to replicate that showing a second time? Defensively, the game plan for Saban figures to once again be to force Stetson Bennett to make plays. The Crimson Tide rank second only to Georgia in run defense this season. By taking away Georgia’s preferred offensive option, Alabama will aim to force Bennett into making more mistakes.

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Georgia vs. Alabama CFP National Championship Betting Odds and Line Movement

The following table displays the best Georgia vs. Alabama CFP National Championship Game betting odds available in the market.

Oddsmakers initially opened with Georgia laying -2.5 for the rematch against Alabama. Early sharp action quickly bumped the point spread up to a full three points where it has largely remained ever since. Some sportsbooks have gotten up to -3.5 at times while others have slipped back down to -2.5. Overall, the consensus line continues to be an even field goal margin in favor of the Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, the total has experienced little to no movement at all after opening at 53. Some sharp action on the under caused college football betting oddsmakers to drop the number down to 52.5. Despite over 70% of tickets being on the over, that is where the line remains as of Monday morning. Alabama is also shaping up as a public underdog play. The Tide have drawn 60% of spread bets catching points.

Georgia vs. Alabama College Football Betting Picks and Prediction

For what it’s worth, the loss of John Metchie is being severely overlooked ahead of this SEC title game rematch. The key to Alabama’s offensive success and a 400-yard passing performance by Bryce Young in the first meeting was the ability to spread the Georgia defense out. While the Tide could very well deploy similar four-wide sets in the natty, finding the same kind of success without arguably their best receiver won’t be easy.

In many ways, Georgia losing the first meeting between the teams could turn out to be a blessing. The pressure of going undefeated was lifted. If the semifinal against Michigan was any indication, the Bulldogs took the loss seriously and are hungry for the chance to exact some revenge in the rematch. The fact that the college football betting odds still list the Dawgs as favorites despite the outcome of the first game is very telling.

When it comes down to it, Georgia has been the best team in the country all season long for a reason. The public is of course reacting to what they just saw in the SEC title game and the ongoing narrative that Kirby Smart has yet to knock off his former boss, Nick Saban. In actuality, the three-point spread in Georgia’s favor essentially is telling us how to bet this game. It is also tough to expect the Alabama offensive line to play as well as they did in the first matchup. Look for the Bulldogs to have answers ready defensively. So long as Stetson Bennett rises to the occasion, the Dawgs are the side to bet, especially given their status as a contrarian favorite.

Georgia vs. Alabama Prediction: Georgia -3 (-105)

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