College Football: Georgia vs Tennessee Odds, Analysis, & Picks

Two College Football Playoff hopefuls will clash on Saturday in SEC action as the Georgia Bulldogs face the Tennessee Volunteers. The kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm ET at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs are unbeaten so far, but they haven’t faced the most difficult opponents, beating Marshall and Austin Peay. The Vols are in the same boat, sitting at 2-0. Below, find the Georgia vs Tennessee picks.

Odds provided by Sports Interaction.

Georgia vs Tennessee Odds

Georgia is sitting as a -175 moneyline favorite at online sportsbooks. They’re also laying four points on the spread. Tennessee, meanwhile, has +145 odds. The total is set at 49.5.

The Bulldogs have won eight in a row against the Vols, beating them 31-17 last season in Athens.

Georgia vs Tennessee Analysis

This is the first legitimate test this season for Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs, who bowed out early in the CFP earlier this year. It’s a new era for them after Carson Beck transferred to Miami. Gunnar Stockton has taken over at QB, a player who has been around the program for a while but didn’t get a starting opportunity until recently. Stockton hasn’t shown much yet, but Georgia hasn’t faced any difficult opponents. His yards per pass is mildly concerning, and the Bulldogs will need more out of Stockton against a strong Tennessee defense.

Speaking of defense, that remains Georgia’s biggest strength. Their depth at linebacker is phenomenal, and there’s several stars in this defensive unit who will have their names called in the NFL Draft next April. The secondary is also elite, and they should make life difficult for the Volunteers’ pass-catchers on Saturday in Knoxville.

Tennessee was dealt a tough blow in the offseason when quarterback Nico Iamaleava left the program, which meant head coach Josh Huepel had to find a replacement in a hurry. That came in the form of former Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar. Despite minimal playing time last season, he’s looked solid for the Vols so far, completing 66.1% of his passes for 535 passing yards and five touchdowns. He’s also got a strong offensive line in front of him, which should be crucial on Saturday against an elite Georgia pass rush.

The Volunteers smashed East Tennessee State last weekend, putting up 72 points. They also took down Syracuse in Week 1. Like Georgia, this will also be their first legitimate test of the campaign. It’s been a long time since they beat their SEC foes on home turf – October 10 of 2015, to be exact. It will be a tough contest for them, and we’ll see how Aguilar fares against one of the best teams in the country. He’s also got lots of weapons at running back and wide receiver, and they will all need to show up.

Georgia vs Tennessee Picks

While I do believe Tennessee will keep this one competitive, history speaks for itself. I’ll take Georgia to extend the win streak to nine games against the Vols. Hammer the moneyline.

Pick: Georgia -175/Sports Interaction